Everyday Life?
by Hiei's phoenix girl
Summary: Kurama and Hiei are sent to America on a mission. There they meet up with two very...interesting new teammates. YAOI, lemon, MF warnings. Co-written by katyfoxdemon2.
1. Chapter One: Meeting in the Park

Everyday Life?  
  
Chapter One: America  
  
'I can't believe we're going to America!' Kurama said with an air of excitement. He placed another stack of carefully folded shirts into his suitcase. 'I've always wanted to see America! This is going to be so exciting, huh Hiei?'  
  
'Oh yeah, just great,' came the less-than-enthusiastic reply from the black- clad demon sitting on the windowsill. A black drawstring bag, similar to a duffel bag, rested on the floor at his side. A more scornful than usual scowl rested on his handsome features. 'Hn.'  
  
'Oh, calm down, koi,' Kurama said, 'at least we'll have some more privacy there!' He smiled and carefully plucked a red, silk g-string from a drawer and placed it on top of the pile of clothing in the almost-filled suitcase.  
  
Hiei sighed, rolling his eyes, 'Apparently, you weren't listening to more than the first three seconds of the infant's briefing.'  
  
Kurama turned towards him and raised one red eyebrow, 'What do you mean?'  
  
Hiei sighed, 'Kitsune, we'll be split up.'  
  
Kurama's eyes widened, and he pinned Hiei with a disbelieving gaze, 'No, I thought he just said we would be meeting up with new teammates, not that we'd be split further!'  
  
'Hai,' Hiei said, 'The infant said I'll probably be staying in some place called New Jersey and you'll probably be staying in Michigan.' He turned towards his fox, gesturing towards the map of the US on the wall, 'And by looks of that map on the wall, it's more than just a Sunday stroll away.'  
  
Kurama's eyes filled with tears, 'It isn't fair!!!' Hiei sighed and hugged his fox as he cried, 'Why couldn't the others go!?'  
  
'Kuwabara and Yukina are expecting,' Hiei said with a shiver, 'and Yusuke is busy juggling his Makai duties and his duties as Keiko's husband.' He brushed Kurama's tears away with a kiss, 'We'll deal with it fox, don't worry.'  
  
'Honto ni?' Kurama sniffled, a tentative smile on his lips.  
  
'Hai,' Hiei said, relishing the taste of said lips, 'I promise.'  
  
--  
  
'Ugh,' Hiei said, rubbing his ears as they left the cab, 'Remind me never to travel in a taxi ever again!' Their flight had arrived, landing at Newark Airport in New Jersey, little more than an hour ago. They were now at a designated meeting place, a small park in a little town called New Brunswick about 45 minutes away from the airport.  
  
'Gomen, koi,' Kurama said, paying the cabby, 'Oh, and by the way, speak in English. That's the native tongue here.'  
  
'Hn,' Hiei said, reverting to English with little more than a thought as he watched the cab drive away. He looked around, 'I thought they were supposed to meet us here.'  
  
'Yes,' Kurama said, 'So did I, but I don't even feel a trace of youki.'  
  
'Hai, but something feels strange...' Hiei said, glancing around at suspiciously empty park, 'I just don't know what...'  
  
Just then, Hiei heard a whooshing sound, 'Watch out!' He pushed Kurama out of the path of a flying shuriken. He turned towards the source of the sound, tearing off his bandanna.  
  
'There's no need for that, youkai,' a feminine voice rang out, 'I'm right here.' A lithe figure dropped from a treetop. She appeared to be a ningen- she had curly, burgundy-black hair, glasses, and wore an outfit of ningen cotton and polyester- a sweater and loose pants.  
  
Appeared was the key word though, her youki was now apparent. 'She's a demon!' Kurama breathed, 'Could this have just been a trap?'  
  
'Probably,' Hiei drew his katana, 'I'll handle this.'  
  
'Oh no you won't,' another decidedly female voice called. Before he got far, a barrier blocked his path. He stepped away from the youki-sapping trap with a curse and looked around for the source.  
  
Another creature, this time a ningen, stepped out from behind that same tree. She had shoulder length, dyed-black hair and hazel eyes. Her body was one of an average American. Her clothing was a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a half-ponytail. She moved to join her partner. 'Yay! We got 'em!' she said, smiling at her companion.  
  
'Hn,' the demoness snorted, wrinkling her nose slightly, and stepped forward, 'Who are you, and what is your business in the Ningenkai?'  
  
'I'm Kurama, and this is my partner Hiei,' Kurama calmly explained, having realized who their captors were due to the all-too-familiar capture spiel, 'We were sent here by Koenma, and you two must be our new teammates.'  
  
'Oh!' the ningen shouted, 'I'm sorry!' She quickly disabled the shield after looking towards her companion for conformation, allowing the two demons to go free. 'We didn't know it was you two. He really didn't tell us what to expect,' she told Kurama, who assured her it was all right.  
  
Meanwhile, Hiei and the demoness were both watching with slightly embarrassed gazes as their respective partners jabbered on and on. Their thoughts: I hope I'm not partnered with that one.  
  
Ironically, soon they would wish the exact opposite.  
  
--  
  
Judy was so excited to met the red-head. He was so cute and handsome and...so much better than a movie star!! Yep, eat your heart out Brad Pitt!! After the two of them had exchanged introductions- she knew better than to introduce her youkai friend without permission- he talked to her about his flight and the ride to the park. Judy tried to talk to him but he kept rambling on and on.  
  
Then she just had to ask her the burning question in her heart.  
  
'Pardon me but...Do you have a girlfriend?' Her partner, unheard to the love-sick Judy, snickered- already having realized the... 'tendencies' of their new partners.  
  
He looked at her with shocked eyes then smiled a happy smile. There was a dreamy look in his eyes.  
  
'No, I do not,' Judy's heart soared, then fell with his next words.  
  
'I have a boyfriend,' he said.  
  
'You...you have a boyfriend?' Judy sputtered, 'But- but...'  
  
Her partner, who had stopped laughing the moment the dark one had moved, went and grabbed her arm; forcing the girl to stop staring open-mouthed. Judy's eyes watched as the short demon went to the taller one. His eyes were narrowed...He seemed to be... protecting him...  
  
WAIT A MINUTE!!?  
  
Judy in a spree, broke free and said in shock, 'He is your boyfriend? But he is so short!!'  
  
With that the demoness knocked out her human friend, not wanting her to cause a huge fight, even if she wanted one right now. She caught at the prone body, sighed, and slung her over one shoulder. Click off another one...I think we broke 100 KOs!  
  
'Follow me' she said, then led them to a place where they could talk and pick who would be partnered with who; all the while ignoring the slighty scared look from the fox and the slightly impressed glare from the Jaganshi. 


	2. Chapter Two: Who Goes With Whom?

Kurama watched as the demoness whose name he had yet to learn lay her friend down on a couch in the cozy townhouse.  
  
'Have a seat,' she said, gesturing towards the comfy-looking loveseat to her right, 'I'll be back in a moment.' She walked down a hallway and opened a door, flicking on a light switch before entering.  
  
Kurama sat down next to Hiei, who had plopped down as instructed. He had a puzzled look on his face. 'I assume you've noticed it too, huh?'  
  
Hiei nodded and gestured in the direction the youkai had gone, 'Our lady has no name and an untraceable youki. I'm guessing she's at least a B- class, but even the Jagan isn't helping me lock on exactly.' He shrugged lightly, 'At least it's an advantage in battle.'  
  
Kurama sweat dropped, 'Is that all you ever think about?'  
  
Hiei grinned his one-fanged grin, 'That, sex, and sweet snow, yes.'  
  
'Having fun, I see,' the demoness said, having silently returned. Both Hiei and Kurama looked like deer-in-the-headlights. She snickered lightly and turned to her friend.  
  
Kurama sniffed the air and wrinkled his nose, 'Smelling salts?'  
  
The demoness looked over her shoulder at the curious fox. 'Perceptive little kitsune, aren't we?' she said, then smirked at the deer-in-the- headlights look once more. 'Old fashioned I know, but it always works.' She fanned the foul smelling crystals under the ningen's nose.  
  
Judy recoiled from the smell and came awake with a groan. She looked around for a moment before her gaze landed on her demon friend, 'Did I get overexcited again?'  
  
'Hai, as always,' the demoness said before grabbing a folding tray from a nearby stand. 'Do me a favor and recon while I get some tea.'  
  
The ningen looked startled, 'It's tea time already?' She gazed at her watch. 'Well, I'll be damned.'  
  
The demoness shook her head and walked off in the same direction as before, disappearing into the darkness of the hallway once more.  
  
Kurama and Hiei looked with confusion at the scene unfolding before them.  
  
Judy's gaze landed on them and she grinned sheepishly. 'Don't mind me, I'm just insane.'  
  
'Right...' Hiei said, then turned his attention back to targeting the other demon's fleeting youki. I'm gonna pin her if it takes me all day. He fed the Jagan under his bandanna more youki, having reached the end of his patience.  
  
'That won't do you any good, Jaganshi,' the ningen said, bringing Hiei's attention back to her.  
  
Hiei raised an eyebrow and closed the Jagan. 'Honto ni? And why's that?'  
  
She smiled, 'She's a Jaganshi too.'  
  
Hiei's mouth fell open for a moment before he caught himself. He blushed lightly at being caught off guard, 'Hn.'  
  
Kurama laughed and received a glare from his lover, 'Sorry koi, I couldn't resist.'  
  
Judy stared at the two demons, 'By the way, would you mind speaking in English. I'm not to hot on Japanese. Robin's not done...' Judy clasped her hands over her mouth with a gasp. 'Ooops!'  
  
'Just can't keep that mouth shut can you?' the now-known Robin said, entering the room while easily balancing a tray of tea settings. 'So much for secrecy.' She set the tray down on the table and poured four cups in a traditional fashion, handing one to each of the others in the room before taking her own. 'Milk's in the pourer, sugar cubes are in the tin.'  
  
The room rested in silence for a moment as each set their tea as they pleased- Judy's containing more sugar cubes than all the rest combined.  
  
'So, Robin is it?' Kurama said, awaiting a nod of acknowledgement from the youkai before continuing, 'I take it this is your home?'  
  
'Yes, if that even matters,' she said, sipping her tea briefly before looking over the cup at her guests. Kurama watched, amazed, as her originally yellow-green eyes darkened to a completely different gray shade.  
  
She blinked once and lowered her cup to the table.  
  
'It's very nice,' Kurama complimented, receiving a nod in return. He gave up on that avenue of information gathering and turned to her bubbly companion. 'So Judy, tell me more about yourself.'  
  
Judy gave him a huge smile. THen she moved in her seat till her legs where under her butt. Her eyes grew excited and she began to slightly bounce up an down.  
  
Here we go...again... Robin thought with a slight roll of her eyes.  
  
"Lets see...I am single and looking. I want a strong man. Not one like my ex. You know he never was that much help!! Plus..we did not have much of a sex life If you can call it that. Oh!! I just love to shop!! Shopping is so much fun. Unless the store does not have what you want! Then you have to go to another store and look for what ever!! Then it really blows if no one has it!! I mean...its pretty bad! Oh..i do need a new bar." She said thoughtful.  
  
- three hours later-  
  
Kurama elbowed the sleepy Hiei from a doze as the ningen neared the end of her rant. Robin had moved from her place in an overstuffed chair to a window seat and was currently buffing her fingernails- a bad habit, Kurama inferred, because she had done so countless times in the short time he knew her.  
  
Finally, as Judy picked yet another topic, Robin got up and said with a note of finality, 'That's enough, they didn't ask for your life story.' Judy looked up and stuck her tongue out at her partner, and Kurama braced himself to restrain the demoness, but was shocked when all she did was smirk and stick her own tongue back out.  
  
Judy 'hmphed' and crossed her arms, 'Fine, be that way.' She sounded insulted but wore a cheesy smile, which Robin returned with a surprisingly wide one-fanged grin.  
  
'Back to the business end of things,' Robin said, 'We need to determine who's staying where.' She glanced at the clock, 'Mom'll be home soon.'  
  
Hiei raised an eyebrow, 'Mom?'  
  
Robin shrugged, 'A ningen, but with a strong sixth sense. I took a forced break from demon life once Koenma caught us and since then I've lived like a ningen.' She shuddered lightly, 'I miss the Makai.'  
  
'But he said,' Judy added, 'That if we worked with you guys he would let Robin roam free again.' She frowned, 'But I still wish he hadn't caught us.'  
  
'What did you do?' Hiei asked, wondering at the origin of the still untraceable youkai's past.  
  
'We were trying to steal Chapter Black,' Robin said then frowned, 'I really wanted to see it, I heard it was good.'  
  
'Yeah, but then some black-haired idiot with a stroke of luck snuck up on us with some carrot-head and knocked us out from behind,' Judy said with a snort. 'Lucky fools.'  
  
'That would be Yusuke and Kuwabara,' Kurama filled in, then explained their background as Reikai Tantei, as well as their own capture. Hiei filled in a running commentary on Kurama's words.  
  
'Interesting tale Youko,' Robin said once he had finally finished. 'I never would have imagined you would hide here.'  
  
Kurama raised a perfect brow, 'Nani? You know of me?'  
  
Robin flushed for a moment, then shrugged, 'Maybe. That's for me to know and you to find out.' Kurama frowned, disappointed that his plan didn't work, and more than a little intrigued by her momentary embarrassment. 'Good try, but you'll never get me to tell my past till I'm good and ready.'  
  
'So,' Judy said, 'Who wants to go with me!?'  
  
After a few minutes of silent discussion via telepathy, Kurama said that he would go with Judy and Hiei would stay with Robin.  
  
'Yah, she seems the least annoying of the two,' Hiei said, leaning against a wall.  
  
'What's that supposed to mean,' Judy said, 'huh?'  
  
'Just what I said,' Hiei smirked, 'Do you have a problem with that?'  
  
Judy frowned and stuck her tongue out at him, 'Baka!'  
  
Robin looked surprised, 'You actually remembered something I taught you?'  
  
Judy laughed and grinned, 'Only the good stuff.'  
  
The demoness sighed and made a shooing gesture with her hands, 'Out with you two! We'll talk more tomorrow.'  
  
Kurama said a tearful goodbye to Hiei, cut short when the green-eyed- monster known as Judy dragged him off and pulled him into the car. They waved goodbye and drove off.  
  
And with that, the journey began... 


	3. Chapter Three: Their First Mission

Everyday Life?  
  
Chapter Three: Their First Mission  
  
-Three Months Later-  
  
'They're late!' Judy screeched for the umpteenth time in the past five minutes. 'Robin's never late!'  
  
Koenma had contacted the two of them last night, calling for them to meet up in a park about five miles away from Judy's apartment. He had said he already told Robin and Hiei, and that they would be there too. The rendezvous was set for 10:00 that morning.  
  
It was now 10:05.  
  
'Oh relax, will you?' Kurama said, putting down the book he had been reading, 'They'll be here soon.'  
  
In the past three months, Kurama had learned quite a bit about this...quirky ningen. For one she loved to sing...even if she could not. She had woken him up many times at night trying to sing. Her music was always loud. She loved to read almost as much as he did. Her love of chocolate rivaled his own. Judy was also so very unlike him when it came to clothing. She would love to wear jeans and any shirt that was not dirty. Then make fun of him on how long he took in the bathroom.  
  
It also seemed that Judy had learned quite a bit about him, since he found himself being more and more annoyed by her everyday. She always seemed to know just the right way to annoy him no matter what mood he was in. But by the same token, she also knew how to cheer him up when he was lonely.  
  
Kurama had to admit that he was getting a little nervous as it neared 10:10. He missed his koi and still had his bad habit of worrying over him. He knew they had to cross a dangerous area of the Makai to get there...  
  
What if they had been attacked!?  
  
What if he was hurt!!?  
  
What if-  
  
Two black blurs cut off his next 'What if.'  
  
'You baka!' Robin scolded Hiei when they came to a stop in front of them. 'I told you that we should have turned to the left! But no! You just had to take your "shortcut!"'  
  
'Well if you're so smart why did you let me take that shortcut?!' Hiei retorted.  
  
'Because you ran off that way before I could talk some sense into your rock of a head!'  
  
'Hn.'  
  
'Hi guys! I see you two are getting along well!' Judy said, breaking into the argument.  
  
'Oh, hi Judy-chan!' Robin said, remembering what they were there for and walking over to her friend.  
  
Judy grabbed her friend in a hug, 'I missed you! It sucks how Koenma won't let us live close by anymore!'  
  
Robin returned the hug, 'I missed you too, but man it was nice being in the Makai again!'  
  
Judy released her and then looked over at the two demons. She giggled.  
  
'What?' Robin asked. Her friend was known to laugh for little or no reason, but this was definitely one of those giggles with a cause.  
  
Judy simply giggled again and pointed a finger towards where Kurama had been standing when she and Hiei had arrived. She turned in that direction and then suppressed a laugh of her own.  
  
The taller demon had swept Hiei off his feet and was crushing him in a bear hug. Hiei was trying to squirm free but Kurama effectively stopped that with a kiss.  
  
'Okay lover boys!' Robin interrupted them a few minutes later, getting tired of watching them make out. ' Time to go!'  
  
The two separated. Kurama looked a little sheepish and Hiei cursed under his breath. Judy could just make out the words, 'Baka kitsune,' as he muttered to himself.  
  
'Just where the hell are we going anyway?' Hiei asked, turning towards Kurama once more, 'He didn't tell us.'  
  
'Yes he did,' Robin said, 'We're going to destroy a breach site in the Kekkai made by some A-classes.' She shook her head, 'No wonder there have been so many demons lurking around.'  
  
'No kidding,' Judy said, 'The Kekkai around America isn't very strong, and a breach in it just makes it worse.'  
  
'So...we're going where now?' Hiei asked again.  
  
Robin hit her head, 'You really weren't paying attention, were you?' She sighs, 'Well, what should I expect, you never do...'  
  
'That's not true! I pay attention in battle, and when there's sweet snow!'  
  
'Big deal!'  
  
'Why you!'  
  
'Okay you two! Calm down!' Kurama said, raising a hand towards both of them. 'Save it for the enemy!'  
  
'Hn!' the two of them said in unison, then Robin took out a map and pointed out where it was they were going as well as the best routes to get there. They then moved to discussions on strategy and battle methods to use in the coming fight.  
  
Judy sighed, 'Now why can't we get along that well?' She smiled as they argued for a minute on the best way to fight. 'They're so similar!'  
  
Kurama smiled, 'They're really very alike aren't they?' He grinned, 'Nothing like us, my dear!'  
  
Judy frowned, 'Oh pooh! You're so mean!' She stuck her tongue out at him and walked over to join the discussion between the two demons.  
  
'Then it's agreed?' Kurama heard his koi say as he pointed out a path on the map. 'We'll take this path?'  
  
'Hai, it shouldn't take more than half a day to get there.'  
  
After a few more minutes of preparation and discussion, Judy opened a portal to the Makai and the group set out on their first mission.  
  
-Four Days Later-  
  
'Hiei will you just stop for directions!!?' Robin pleaded as Hiei peered around the area from the top of a tree. 'I told you we should just stick to the path- but NO! You just had to take a short cut!!'  
  
'I'll find the way, I'm sure we just have to go...that way!' Hiei said sheepishly, still in denial that he had gotten lost- again. He jumped down from the tree and looked at his peeved lover and the ningen that was now enjoying teasing him. Hiei heard a plea in his mind from Kurama-_ Hiei; just let Robin direct, okay? I'm getting tired of being asked what each and every plant is!!_  
  
_Very well, koi,_ Hiei sighed, _If I must..._  
  
'You lead then!' Hiei said, attempting to scrape up at least some of his dignity. He shoved the map into her hands with a 'Hn.'  
  
'About time!!' Robin said before studying the map and setting off.  
  
-Two hours later-  
  
'I told you I would find it,' Robin gloated as Hiei brooded near his lover. She smirked and looked at the thin walls of the fortress. 'Well at least this will be easy. Ready guys?'  
  
Her companions nodded and she signaled to Hiei. She called a black flame into her palms, 'On the count of three.' Hiei nodded and summoned a matching flame into his hands. 'One...two...three!'  
  
The two released their bursts of flame and the fortress practically exploded, sending demons scrambling from the inside, right into their hands.  
  
All four then went to work. Judy and Robin and Hiei and Kurama. Judy was great when it came to her Spirit bow and arrows. Her aim was always close to where she wanted it. Ok so she missed at times, but she knew what she was doing.  
  
Judy got down to a crouch and started to aim arrows at the quickly approaching demons, while Robin alternated between firing fire blasts and ice shards at them. It was funny when an ice dart hit a male demon in the crotch and he yelped like a girl. It was happening so often in this fight, though, Judy had a sneaking suspicion that her chuckling partner was doing it on purpose- either that or it was a distraction to allow her partner more accurate aim...  
  
Whichever one it really was, it did help Judy hit a few right in the hearts, causing purple and blue blood to flow. The rest of the two or three dozen she hit, she did under her own devices. If he had been watching, even Hiei would have had to admit they made a formidable team.  
  
Kurama used his whip to attack the offending demons. Hiei, being his usual self, simply sliced them to bloody pieces. Both of them kept a sharp eye on the other as they did. They worked so well as a team. It was almost like a dance, they were so in time. Kurama and Hiei finished off their group at the same time the girls did.  
  
Then, as Hiei and Kurama were distracted going on about how they were that Judy could hit anything, a huge, S-class ogre snuck up from behind them, leaving them defenseless against its mighty onslaught.  
  
The girls' honed senses kicked in, Judy and Robin took aim at the same time, one firing an arrow and the other an icy blast. The two attacks combined, forming a deadly ice dagger. Needless to say, when it struck him, it hurt. Hiei and Kurama jumped out of the way as the demon collapsed into a pool of its own blood. Both men were so impressed they were speechless.  
  
Judy ran around hugging every one once it became apparent that no more demons were around, and started to sing Love is a Battlefield.  
  
'That took long enough,' Kurama said, looking on as Robin accessed the damage done to the Kekkai. 'How bad is it?'  
  
'Not bad, I can probably fix it,' she thought for a moment, 'but I'm not going to strain myself for the infant.' She shrugged at Kurama's raised eyebrow, 'I'm not that nice.'  
  
Judy laughed and pulled a communication mirror out of her pocket, 'I'll call Koenma and let him know we're done.'  
  
The Ruler of Reikai came up and Judy smirked. 'Hey we got YOUR work done!! Are you lucky or what?'  
  
With that, Kurama took over and explained everything. Robin was to repair the damage, then they were to head straight back to Ningenkai.  
  
'Nanda kuso?!' Robin snatched the mirror from Kurama's hands. 'I have to do YOUR job, AND I don't even get to VISIT my territory!!!!?' Needless to say, this led to an argument that ended with Koenma simply hanging up on Robin.  
  
Kurama was happy when Judy took advantage of this distraction and slipped him some money. She winked at him, 'I'll cover for you two. Just don't have too much fun, okay?'  
  
Kurama nodded and the two lovers ran off to the Ningenkai, leaving Judy to deal with a seething Robin, who grudgingly fixed the Kekkai before they returned to the Ningenkai.  
  
That evening was the first time in three months that the demon lovers had been together. Obviously, they made the night count, tiring each other out until neither was able to move.  
  
Not to forget our girls...Judy and the now-calmed-down Robin were drinking some tea, and playing a quite game of Life. 


	4. Chapter Four: Surprises All Around

Everyday Life?  
  
Chapter Four: Surprises All Around  
  
-Two Weeks Later-  
  
Knock, knock, knock!  
  
"Hiei, can you get that?" Robin called from the bathroom, where she was trying to make sense of her too curly hair before it dried. "Damn unruly ningen hair..."  
  
"Do I have to?" he asked, looking up from polishing his katana.  
  
"Hai," she responded curtly, pulling on a black headband to hold the burgundy locks out of her face. "I'm busy."  
  
"Damn," he said and got up, heading towards the door.  
  
The knocks had now escaladed to repeated buzzes from the doorbell. "Coming, coming..."  
  
-Outside the house-  
  
"Judy...I think they hear you...' Kurama said with a sweat drop.  
  
"If they're not at the door, they didn't hear me!!' Judy turned around and said to the fox.  
  
"Yes, they did."  
  
"No, they didn't!"  
  
"They did!"  
  
"If they did, then why aren't they here?!!"  
  
"They're probably busy!!"  
  
"They didn't hear!!"  
  
"Yes, they did!!"  
  
Unnoticed after he opened the door two minutes ago, Hiei simply watched and sweat dropped as the argument continued in this fashion. He turned and called to the demoness who had just finished with her hair, "It's Judy and Kurama."  
  
Robin raised an eyebrow and walked over to the door, stopping when she saw the two still obliviously arguing. "Idiots." She said with bead eyes as the fight escalated to big heads.  
  
-An Hour Later-  
  
"Popcorn?" Hiei asked as they watched the highly entertaining fight.  
  
"Thanks," she popped a few kernels into her mouth. "Think we should stop them?"  
  
"Yah, I'm getting a little bored," Hiei replied.  
  
"Judy! Kurama!" Robin yelled, drawing their attention. She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow, "Do you think you could stop arguing long enough to tell us what you two want?"  
  
"Ahh..." Kurama said, sweat dropping, "Sorry."  
  
"Yeah, you should be," Judy said, "It was your fault anyway."  
  
"No it wasn't," Kurama replied.  
  
"Yes, it was."  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"ENOUGH!!!!" Robin screeched, "What the hell do you two want!?" Her eyebrow twitched in annoyance.  
  
"Sorry, sorry..." Judy said, raising her hands, "Peace..." She grinned, "I just wanted to see if you two wanted to go out. We were bored and decided to take a plane here last night."  
  
"In that case, sure." Robin said, her brow furrowing, "If you wanted to get together, why didn't you just IM me? We could have come through the Makai."  
  
"I wanted to surprise you," Judy said holding four tickets in her hand, "I got us tickets to see 'The Phantom of the Opera.'"  
  
"Oh Judy!" Robin grabbed her friend in a hug, "You're so sweet!"  
  
Meanwhile, the two demons had gone back inside and were making out on the couch.  
  
"Firefly," Kurama said, pulling away, "I missed you so much!"  
  
Hiei pulled the fox back down for another kiss, "I missed you too, kitsune."  
  
The fox snuggled into his lover's arms, "What do you say we ditch the girls and have a little fun?"  
  
"Oh no," Judy said, grabbing Kurama's ear. "You are coming to the show with us." She pulled him off of the fire demon.  
  
"You too, Hi-chan," Robin said, assisting the demon up. "You'll enjoy it, you can lurk in the shadows."  
  
-New York City-  
  
"Oh that was so sad!!" Kurama cried, holding his lover's hand.  
  
"That poor man," Judy said as they walked through the crowded streets of the city.  
  
"Hn," Robin said, leading them down the busy street towards Penn Station.  
  
"Hiei, didn't you think it was sad?" Judy asked the demon.  
  
"No," he said, looking at the ningen.  
  
She turned to Robin, "Did you think it was sad?"  
  
"No," she said, "Things like that happen all too often in the Makai. It becomes something you get used to."  
  
Kurama shook his head, "You two are such demons..."  
  
"Hn..." Hiei said following Robin into the alleyway behind the train station. The alleyway was too narrow to allow them to stand side by side, so they walked in a series. Robin was in front, Hiei followed her, then Judy, and Kurama took up the rear.  
  
"I don't see what the problem with that is..." Robin said, glancing over her shoulder before continuing on their path. A cloud passed overhead, plunging the alleyway into pitch darkness. "Damn cloud..." she muttered before continuing her rant, "After all...you were once a demon too-" She stopped suddenly with a gasp.  
  
Hiei ran into her, "What the hell?" He took a step back and glanced nervously towards Kurama's aura. "Robin...?"  
  
The cloud drifted away from the sun, lighting the alleyway once more.  
  
"Robin!!" Judy cried when the light allowed them to see the reason why she had stopped. Her hands flew to cover her mouth.  
  
A demon completely clad in black stood in front of their friend, and they were horrified to see the last six-or-so inches of a blood-covered blade jutting from her back. The strange demon smiled and roughly pushed her off the blade.  
  
"Ah...!" Robin softly cried out as Hiei rushed forward to catch her. After flicking his gaze quickly over her face, the dark-haired demon glanced up at the stranger and growled dangerously. The stranger tipped his hat and turned to flee.  
  
"Bastard!!" Kurama jumped over Hiei and the wincing demoness in his arms. "Rose whip!!" His whip wrapped around the demon, effectively trapping him there.  
  
"How dare you hurt my friend!!" Judy called out, setting an arrow in her Spirit Bow. She powered the arrow with a hefty amount of ki, and sent it flying.  
  
The two had apparently been training together, because Kurama let go of the demon, twisting the whip just enough to ensure the arrow would hit the demon's heart. But to their dismay, the arrow bounced helplessly off of the demon's still-bloody sword, moved just in time to protect him.  
  
Once more he turned and tried to flee, but a wall of plants Kurama had grown the instant the attack had failed blocked his path this time.  
  
"You aren't going anywhere!!" Judy said, tears slipping down her face, "At least not alive!!" She wiped the tears away angrily. "I'll make sure of that."  
  
The youkai glanced around nervously, looking for any way to escape that he could. Seeing there was no way to escape, he decided to cause them as much pain as possible.  
  
He brought the bloody blade of his sword in front of his face, dragging his tongue along the flat of the blade. He smiled, licking his lips, "Nice and sweet...too bad she's gonna die..." He laughed, "She would have made a nice pet."  
  
Kurama knew very well what he meant by his use of the word "pet." He felt his rage grow. He glanced over to where his lover still held Robin. She gasped weakly as Hiei shifted her to better see where the sword had pierced her flesh. Hiei's face was grim as he looked up, meeting Kurama's gaze briefly. It slipped back to the demoness' pallid face as she groaned and slipped out of consciousness.  
  
Kurama's red hair bled into silver as he shifted to his youkai form. Judy watched as he turned into the legendary thief she had heard all about during her short stay in the Reikai prison. The stranger froze in horrified fear as Youko Kurama gazed at him with contempt.  
  
Kurama didn't know why he was so mad about the demon he barely knew being wounded. True, he considered her a friend, but he hadn't felt this mad since the last time Hiei had been ambushed and wounded. But he wasn't about to question what was bringing him strength. He would have time to ponder it later.  
  
He gently shifted through his silver locks and pulled out a seed. He turned his gaze to the ningen beside him, "Judy, would you give me a hand?"  
  
Judy nodded, speechless. He was so different when he was Youko. So much His very voice sent chills down her spine, and the cold look in his eyes chilled her to the bone.  
  
He took one of her arrows and fixed the seed on the tip. "Just fire that at him, I'll take care of the rest." His gaze returned to the demon, and he pinned the kisama with his icy glare.  
  
"Now!"  
  
Judy loosed the arrow and it flew with fatal precision directly to the stranger's heart. Kurama sent his youki into the seed the precise instant it struck the demon's chest. The flesh-eating plant set to its work of painfully killing the creature.  
  
He glared once more at the demon, and then the plant's vines blocked him from viewing the youkai's twisted face.  
  
"May your soul rot in the deepest pit of hell," Youko said before returning to his human form.  
  
By now, Judy had rushed over to her friend's side. Tears now flowed freely as she gripped Robin's limp hand. She was squeezing it tightly and pleading for her best friend to wake up.  
  
Hiei's eyes were closed, Kurama noted. He had removed his bandanna and was looking at the demoness through his Jagan. As Kurama approached, Hiei looked up.  
  
"How does it look?" Kurama asked, but he knew it was going to be a grim prognosis.  
  
Hiei shook his head, "Not good." He turned his gaze back towards the now- unconscious demon. "She needs to be treated. Now. She's losing youki fast." Hiei quickly put his bandanna back on, and then stood, still cradling the demoness in his arms.  
  
Judy rose and reluctantly let go of Robin's hand. "But where?"  
  
"To Japan," Kurama suggested, "Yukina should be able to help."  
  
Hiei shook his head, "Not enough time."  
  
"To the Makai, then," Kurama said, "We'll go to my territory. I'll do my best to get her stable, then we'll take her to Japan."  
  
"Very well," Hiei shifted Robin in his arms, "Let's go."  
  
With that, Judy opened a portal and they left for Kurama's territory.  
  
--  
  
Please review!!  
  
Now on to the next chapter!! =) 


	5. Chapter Five: Race Against the Clock

Everyday Life?  
  
Chapter Five: Race Against the Clock  
  
-Kurama's Territory-  
  
After reaching the Makai, the group had rushed to Kurama's old territory. Kurama led them through the maze-like forest surrounding his den. Soon, Hiei was setting Robin down on a soft bed and stepping back to allow Kurama to see her wound.  
  
Kurama didn't like what he saw at his first scanning. She was unconscious, lying limp on the bed. Her breathing was shallow, and a fever burned at her forehead. Judging from the position of the wound, the demon had taken advantage of the darkness to hide in the shadows and had simply allowed her to step onto the point of his sword. When Hiei had stepped back, he had probably pushed the blade the rest of the way through.  
  
He had seen how she was impaled to almost the hilt of the blade when the alley had been alighted. And if she had immediately been pierced so far, Hiei would have run into the blade too when he ran into her, which he said he had done. Thank Inari that hadn't happened, but this was bad enough.  
  
The sword had gone straight through her midriff, probably running into something. Her previously pale green shirt was stained dark crimson, and the white sheets on his bed were staining bright red. Not only was she losing youki too fast, but was bleeding too much as well.  
  
He cursed and stepped away from the bed. He quickly told the other's of his initial findings and hurried off to his back room to fetch some healing seeds. He hoped he had what he needed...  
  
About five minutes later, he had collected what he needed and hurried back to the room. Judy was crying in a chair in the corner of the room, and Hiei was sitting on the bed next to Robin, holding her hand. Apparently, she had awoken during his absence, because her unnerving eyes rested on his face as he returned. They were a pain-darkened shade of gray, and although she tried to hide it by lowering her lashes, were dim and hazy.  
  
He approached the bed and placed the seeds on the table next to the bed. Judy looked up from her seat on the chair and a fresh bout of tears racked her when her best friend's pained gaze landed on her.  
  
Seeing Kurama was preparing to work on her, Hiei moved behind Robin and grasped her other hand. Robin's eyes fluttered closed as she waited for Kurama's treatment, apparently deciding to take a catnap. Hiei looked at her then at his fox, who was busy growing a few plants.  
  
"Hiei?" Kurama asked.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"This will hurt her," he warned, "just a warning if you're going to hold her hand the whole time."  
  
"Afraid I'll break his hand?" Robin's weak voice asked playfully as her eyes opened again.  
  
"Like you could in this state..." Hiei retorted gently.  
  
"Hn," she replied before looking at the fox. "Don't dawdle on my part." She closed her eyes and removed her hand from Hiei's, "You're lover's hand is safe. Just do it."  
  
Hiei reached for her hand again and squeezed it before getting up and leading Judy to another room. _Didn't think it would do her good to watch.  
_  
_Thanks Hiei._  
  
_Good luck fox...  
_  
Kurama blushed a little as he used a leaf dagger to cut half of Robin's shirt away, baring her midriff. He carefully cleansed the area with herb- treated water he knew stung. He gently prodded the wound with a finger, wincing when he heard her sharp intake of breath.  
  
Muttering an apology, he carefully yet quickly separated the edges of the wound to get a better view of internal damage. He carefully eased a finger inside the wound with another apology, wincing once again when she cried out.  
  
He prodded around some more, thanking Inari when she lost consciousness so he wasn't hurting her. He didn't like what he felt, something was torn and needed expert medical care. Blood still flowed freely from her, so he eased a seed inside her that grew to temporarily limit the blood loss. He wrapped her waist in bandages soaked in an herbal poultice, then again in linen bandages.  
  
Finishing his little surgery, he sliced through her remaining shirt, thanking ningens for the grand invention of bras before pulling a soft shirt from his closet over her. To keep her asleep-that plant in her would cause excruciating pain should she awake- he slipped yet another seed into her mouth and made her swallow. It was a natural sleeping aid and would keep her out for, hopefully, another 12 hours. He quickly changed the bloody sheets and covered her with fresh ones, before leaving to report the results of this further investigation to his friends.  
  
Hiei and Judy looked up at him expectantly as he walked into the room. "I've stabilized her as much as I can, but I don't want to move her. Something in there is torn, I couldn't tell if it was an artery or a vein, but it's bad."  
  
Judy sniffled, "Is she going to...?"  
  
Kurama shook his head, "It's too soon to tell. I put a plant inside her to limit the blood loss, but I have to keep her unconscious while it's in there or else she'll be in terrible pain."  
  
"It's all my fault!!" Judy wailed, "If I hadn't made her come out..." She looked towards the room where Robin was resting guiltily.  
  
"It was just a coincidence, that's all." Hiei shook his head, "What are we going to do?"  
  
"We have to get Yukina here," Kurama said, "I hate to leave her alone in this condition, but we have to get her."  
  
"Why can't one of us stay here?" Judy asked.  
  
"I would stay, but I'm the only one who can navigate this forest. Plus, even if one of you stayed, you couldn't do anything if she woke up."  
  
"So," Hiei said, "We're fighting against the clock?"  
  
"Yes," Kurama said, "Hopefully, we'll have 12 hours until the drug will wear off."  
  
"Well, what are we doing standing around? Let's go!!" Judy yelled, jumping up.  
  
"Right."  
  
Kurama led his friends out of the forest, praying they would make it in time.  
  
--  
  
That's all for now! Please review!!  
  
More soon, we promise!! 


	6. Chapter Six: Secrets

Everyday Life?  
  
Chapter Six: Secrets  
  
-Ningenkai, Japan-  
  
Yukina sat happily in her garden. She was sipping tea with Genkai and enjoying the warm sun. The flowers growing all around her filled the air with a sweet perfume.  
  
"Genkai-shihan," Yukina said, "Would you like some more tea?"  
  
"Thank you," Genkai nodded and presented Yukina her cup. But before Yukina could begin to pour the tea, a portal opened behind them. Genkai jumped up, ready to defend them if need arose.  
  
But to their relief, Hiei's overwhelming ki signature filled the air. Yukina smiled, she had missed them since they had gone to America. He stepped out of the portal, followed by a ningen girl they had never met and Kurama.  
  
"Hiei, Kurama," Genkai greeted, "Won't you introduce your friend?" Genkai looked more closely at the ningen, who appeared to be...guilty?  
  
Yukina looked them over, and then gasped; Kurama's usually pristine clothes were stained with blood. "Kurama-kun! Are you hurt?!" She took a step towards him, but was stilled by a raised hand.  
  
"No," Kurama said, "But one of our new companions is badly wounded." He quickly explained what had happened. "Would you please come with us? I don't think she'll last much longer."  
  
"Of course!!" Yukina said, getting to her feet, "Just let me get some supplies." She ran off into the temple, Kurama following closely behind.  
  
"Genkai-shihan," Hiei asked, "We'll return her soon."  
  
Genkai nodded, "Very well, be careful." She thought for a moment, "And do come visit again so we can properly meet your friend."  
  
"Friends!" the ningen said vehemently, unshed tears glittering in her eyes, "Robin will be here too!!"  
  
Genkai nodded, then exchanged a worried glance with Hiei. Both of them doubted Judy's partner would survive, but neither knew quite how to tell her.  
  
Hiei nodded and signaled to Judy when Yukina and Kurama returned. Judy opened up a portal and they rushed off once more towards Kurama's den.  
  
-Makai -  
  
"Hiei-san," Yukina asked, "Where are we going?"  
  
Hiei looked in her direction, "To one of Kurama's dens."  
  
"Robin," Judy said, "that's her name, is resting there still. Kurama said it was too dangerous to move her."  
  
"Oh," Yukina gasped, "Is it that bad?"  
  
"Unfortunately, yes," Kurama replied, "I don't think any organs are affected, but she's bleeding very heavily. I think an artery must have been torn."  
  
"Oh goodness!" Yukina said, tears of empathy gathering in her eyes, "She must be in so much pain!"  
  
"Hopefully not," Hiei cut in, "Kurama knocked her out with some seed." He glanced at the youko, "He says that it should keep her out for twelve hours."  
  
"How long ago?" Judy asked. She dreaded the idea of her friend suffering.  
  
"It's only been three hours," Kurama gave a sad smile, "She should be sleeping blissfully at the moment."  
  
"Let's hope so..." Judy said, looking down. "Let's hurry on."  
  
They nodded and doubled their pace.  
  
-Kurama's Territory-  
  
"At last," Kurama sighed, "We're here..."  
  
Hiei looked up sharply, "Kurama, do you have imps or pets?"  
  
Kurama's forehead furrowed as he led them through the final areas of the maze, "No, why?"  
  
"Because there're four ki signatures that don't belong to our patient in your den."  
  
Judy gasped, "Oh no!!" She glanced at the twists of the maze ahead, "Robin!!"  
  
Hiei quickly scooped up Yukina and Kurama grabbed Judy as they sped toward the entrance of the youko's den.  
  
But by the time they arrived, the four creatures lay dead, either frozen or burned, outside Robin's room.  
  
Kurama shook his head, "But that's impossible, the dose was too strong for a simple demon to fight off...she couldn't have awakened..."  
  
"Well I did," Robin's voice chimed from the room's interior, "You didn't expect that I would just allow myself to be eaten now did you?" She sat on the bed, wincing, with a hand holding her side. Thin vines of some sort of ivy dripping with blood could be seen twining through her fingers, but that wasn't what bothered the trio. Yukina looked on, confused, as they stared at the obviously suffering demoness.  
  
Where the curly haired, tall ningen had once been; a short, white haired demon sat.  
  
Robin winced, "Oh stop staring, especially you, Kurama." She gave him a small, fanged grin. "You should recognize me by now..."  
  
Kurama indeed recognized the demoness before him, from the top of her spiky- haired head to the toes of her black boots. He could do little more than stare in shock as the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place.  
  
Hiei stood warily at Kurama's side- there were some similarities, the voice and ki were similar, but the appearance was just too different to be the same creature. He put a hand on his katana and raised his ki slightly. He thought about something as he did though- if this indeed were the insane creature he had been forced to live with these past few months, it would be fun to tease her about the height difference. This creature was even shorter than he, appearing to reach a height of about 4' 9''.  
  
Judy stared in shock at her friend. She knew Robin was a demon...but this was just so shocking. Spiky white hair with black tips crowned her head, bangs falling over a bandanna. She had always wondered where Robin's Jagan was. Two longer pieces fell a little past her shoulders, and looked to be dipped in ink. Her eyes were the same blood red as Hiei's. Her clothes were even different, changing to a black top and pants, all covered by a long white cape. A pair of gloves lay discarded at her side.  
  
"K-Kiru!" Kurama gasped. "You're Kiru!!"  
  
Hiei turned to his lover, "What?"  
  
Kurama simply shook his head, too shocked to do anything more.  
  
Judy stared at the fox, many questions floating through her mind.  
  
Yukina simply stood dumbfounded in the doorway, confused as to what to do.  
  
Meanwhile, Robin winced as the plant in her side pulled more of her youki and continued to grow, twining around her fingertips almost lovingly. Anytime now fox...  
  
Suddenly, a terrible pain spread through her side as the ivy experienced another ki-induced growth spurt. She felt a rush of liquid warmth flow over her hand moments later. Her vision blurred and she fought to keep herself conscious, trying to gather enough energy to gain her company's attention or at least call out mentally to Hiei.  
  
Hiei shook his head and turned just in time to see what they had decided was indeed Robin groan softly before slumping over. He blurred over and called, "Kurama!"  
  
He shook himself out of his stupor to find Hiei jerking off Robin's cape and moving the demoness to rest on the pillow. He was alarmed to see her complexion almost matched her hair. His gaze flicked to the plant, which was, by now, a sprawling, blossoming ivy- beautiful if you could ignore the blood dripping from it. The stain on his sheets was spreading once more, this time soaking it. He jerked her tight top up to bare her entire waist.  
  
Yukina hurried over and gasped as she spied the wound for the first time. Right now there was nothing she could do. She could only stare on as Kurama worked desperately to displace the plant feeding off of her purely demonic energy.  
  
Hiei moved away from the bed and grabbed Judy, who had sunk to the floor shortly after Robin had fallen unconscious again. She was staring, mesmerized, at the blood slowly pooling beside the bed. How can she survive this...? She was far too devastated for tears.  
  
She felt something heavy on her shoulder, and looked up to see the fire demon. His eyes were sympathetic and held their own sadness at this turn of events. He gestured towards the door with his head; silently saying "It's time to go." Judy got up and allowed Hiei to lead her to the adjoining room, looking back one last time at that pool of blood.  
  
--  
  
Gasp! What will happen next!!? Review and you might just find out...  
  
Well...you'll definitely find out, but review anyway!!  
  
Now onto the next chapter!! 


	7. Chapter Seven: Tears

Everyday Life?  
  
Chapter Seven: Tears  
  
--  
  
Kurama cursed as the plant continued to feed off of Kiru's...no, Robin's energy. He cursed himself for not realizing who she was sooner and heightening the dosage of the seed. There was no way such a low dose was going to keep her asleep for, although she didn't show it unless she went fully demon, she was part kitsune.  
  
"K'so..." he growled, sounding similar to his dark lover. He worked quickly to disengage the plant's roots from her bloodstream, cursing when the blood flowed quicker. The plant had done more harm then good, he realized. It had gotten into the tear and made it bigger. That was probably why she fainted. Right now, that plant was the only thing keeping her from bleeding to death. They had precious little time to work with.  
  
"Yukina," he called to the stunned koorime, "when I take out this plant, immediately start to heal her."  
  
Yukina nodded and moved her hands over the demoness' bared waist. She nodded, "Ready when you are."  
  
Kurama nodded back and braced himself. He wrapped his hand around the main stem of the plant, sending his youki to the roots. Calming himself with a deep breath, he jerked the plant out of the small figure's body.  
  
-Other room-  
  
In the other room, Hiei's gaze flew towards Kurama's bedroom as a cry of agony echoed through the den. His gaze moved over to Judy, whom he feared was in just as bad a shape as her demon friend.  
  
She sat in an overstuffed chair, hugging her knees. Her eyes held a sadness he had never seen before. He tried to imagine what it would feel like if one of his actions led to his fox being hurt this badly. He watched as a single tear traced a path down her cheek as the screech echoed away.  
  
He turned his gaze back towards the room. Kurama...you have got to save her...  
  
-Back in Kurama's room-  
  
Yukina sent her healing energy to the pained demon on the bed, tear gems falling from her eyes as she did so. She was shocked that the youkai was alive- even ignoring the fact that the plant had torn it even more, she had a clean slice across an artery. She healed the wound as quickly and painlessly as she could, praying that she had worked fast enough to save her new friend's life.  
  
Kurama opened his eyes and stared at the bloody plant he held in his hands- the plant that had almost sucked the life out of his former partner. He glanced down at himself, finding his formerly pristine outfit covered in blood. The floor and his bed were also stained with the crimson liquid. His gaze flicked to Robin's pale face to find her conscious, her eyes darkened almost to black in pain. She arched slightly and a short, high-pitched cry slipped from her lips. Kurama reached for her hand and squeezed it, regretting he had ever put that plant in her.  
  
Slowly, the pain started to fade from her eyes as Yukina finished repairing the torn artery and soothed the pain. The pale demoness' eyelids drooped as Yukina repaired the flesh and muscle torn by the sword as well as the plant. She felt herself being held in someone's arms, heard the sound of sheets rustling, and then placed upon the bed again. Her breathing was heavy and staggered from the pain of the surgery, for lack of a better word. She felt so weak, so tired; all she wanted to do was sleep...  
  
Kurama was alarmed as he felt Robin's ki drop dramatically. Her eyes were closed and he could almost feel her slipping away. He slapped her cheek gently to awaken her. Her eyes flew open, dark and hazy. She was obviously losing the fight for her life, and he had to stop it. He closed his eyes and called to his lover.  
  
Hiei!  
  
Hiei cocked his head. Fox, what's wrong?  
  
It's Robin...we're losing her...  
  
No! She can't!  
  
Judy looked towards the room, somehow sensing her friend slipping away. Her eyes grew wide and she got up, wandering toward the room as Kurama reported what was happening to Hiei. She walked into the room and saw Kurama gently patting her friend's cheeks to keep her awake.  
  
Robin couldn't recall ever feeling like this. Kurama's face floated above her, talking to her, telling her to hang on as he patted her cheeks. Her eyes drooped once more. So tired...  
  
Judy wandered over to look at her friend, looking so pale and fragile in Kurama's huge bed. Kurama called desperately for her to awaken, but there was no response other than her uneven breathing. She could feel Hiei's ki enter the room. She glanced over to see Yukina being held in his arms as she cried. Yukina was so sweet- caring about the fate of this being she barely knew; grieving for the life of a complete stranger.  
  
She sat down on the bed next to Robin, her gaze wandering the face she didn't know. Judy thought it was funny, she had never seen this form before. She had always worn her human form, even when they first met. They had clicked instantly, the two of them. Now it was hard to imagine not having the charismatic demon around, like imagining yourself without an arm.  
  
Hiei watched as Judy stared at her dying friend. He could sense Robin's ki draining away. It was a shame, she was a good fighter- strong, smart, and fast on her feet...a good friend. He would miss the girl... Goodbye, Robin...I will miss you. Just make sure to annoy the infant, all right?  
  
Kurama just stared at the face of his former partner, remembering all they had shared all those centuries ago. He couldn't believe he had failed. He raised his head to look at Judy, who just stared at the demon, not crying, not moving. He shook his head and got up, leading everyone else from the room so she could say goodbye. Goodbye, my old friend. I am sorry I failed you...so sorry...  
  
Judy glanced at the rest of the people leaving the room. She brought her gaze back to the demon in front of her. She reached out a hand, touching the spiky hair. "Wake up," she called gently.  
  
Robin felt the darkness pulling her deeper every second. She didn't want to go, but she just couldn't find the strength to pull herself out of this pit. Judy...help me...  
  
Judy glared at the demon, hot tears trickling down her face, "Wake up, damn you!!" She fisted a hand in Robin's top and pulled her up, "Wake up!!!"  
  
Robin heard the voice...reached for it... But it was just too far away. I have to get out of here...  
  
The three demons waiting in the adjoining room heard Judy's wails as she cried for her friend to wake up. It was hard to lose a teammate and even harder to lose a friend. No one knew exactly the bond those two shared, but it ran deep, that was for sure. They just hoped Judy would get over this okay.  
  
"Wake up..." Judy sobbed, letting her friend go and bowing her head. "Please...don't leave me..." Her tears dripped down onto Robin's hand.  
  
In the pit, Robin felt something warm and wet drip onto her hand. Blood? No it wasn't as sticky. Then she heard Judy's voice, Don't leave me...  
  
She suddenly knew what they were...tears...  
  
Robin forced her eyes open, trying to focus on the blurry shape in front of her eyes.  
  
Judy gave into her sobs, collapsing onto the bedcovers. Robin was going to leave her; she could practically feel her ki dissipating. But she refused to leave her, not until the end. That was their motto. BFF. Best Friends Forever.  
  
Robin shook her head and her gaze cleared. "Judy...?"  
  
Her friend's head snapped up, her eyes filled with tears. "Robin..." She pinched her arm a few times, just to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Then a huge smile lit her face, "Robin!!!"  
  
-Two Days Later-  
  
"Get back in bed!" Kurama yelled, looking up from his book as he heard the bedsprings creak.  
  
Robin chuckled, pushing a long tress off of her face. "I knew that would get a rise out of you. I didn't get up, just shifted." A tired grin lit her face as she pushed herself up to rest against the pillows. "Where is everyone?"  
  
"Right here," Hiei said, returning with Judy in tail. He blushed and handed her a bouquet of flowers, looking away.  
  
Robin smiled at Hiei and put them next to her on the gigantic bed.  
  
"Aww! How sweet!" Judy sang as she sat down next to her friend. She grabbed the demon close and hugged her tight.  
  
"Can't...breathe..." Judy laughed and released her friend, who coughed and panted.  
  
"Judy!" Kurama scolded.  
  
"Oh relax," Robin grinned and pushed the tresses out of her face again.  
  
Hiei approached the bed, standing next to Kurama's chair. "How are you doing, squirt?"  
  
Robin growled low in her throat, "Shut it."  
  
Hiei grinned, "I'm going to enjoy this..."  
  
"As soon as I get my youki back, I'm putting my disguise back on, so don't get used to it."  
  
"Oh, can't you just stay in this form?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Please!?"  
  
"No!!"  
  
Judy and Kurama exchanged happy looks as they watched Robin gloat after winning the argument with Hiei. Everything was getting back to normal...  
  
Then, all of a sudden, Robin swayed in bed. Hiei reached out and caught her, lowering her to the pillows. She yawned tiredly and snuggled into the pillows. "G'night everyone... and...thank you..."  
  
The three smiled, quietly exiting the room as their friend settled into a peaceful slumber, thanking the fates, gods, and everything else for her survival.  
  
--  
  
Yay! She survived!! Now review and you will get the next chapter... And more conflict!! Yay!!! 


	8. Chapter Eight: Story Time!

Everyday Life?  
  
Chapter Eight: Story Time!  
  
-One Week Later, Makai-  
  
"K'so," Hiei complained, "This place is far away."  
  
"We know," Judy and Kurama said in unison, "Don't remind us."  
  
Hiei, Kurama, Judy and Robin had been walking through a forest in the Makai for the past few hours. Small talk had gotten boring a long time ago, and now they were walking in a bored silence, punctuated every now and then by a quiet yawn from Robin.  
  
The fox glanced at her worriedly after hearing another smothered yawn. Faint dark circles showed under her eyes. She was obviously exhausted. But knowing her, she'll collapse before asking for a halt. After about another thirty minutes of silence, Kurama called for them to take a break.  
  
After talking to Hiei for a few minutes, Judy looked around for her friend. Her brow furrowed when she saw that she wasn't complaining to the fox about stopping as she usually did. She walked up to the fox, "Where's Robin?"  
  
Kurama pointed somewhere behind her. Judy turned around and smiled when she saw the demoness. Robin was sitting with arms crossed, her back against a tree. Her eyes were closed. She was willing to bet Kurama had called the halt for her. She hadn't recovered even half of her youki since the incident, and needless to say, was still in demon form. She walked over then knelt down next to her friend.  
  
Almost as soon as they had returned to the Ningenkai, Koenma had called on the communicator. He had a mission for them- a few artifacts had been stolen from the vault...again, and he needed them back. Fortunately, they weren't dangerous, but they were valuable. If they didn't catch the thieves quickly, the job would become more complicated and require too much time. There was no telling who could have them or where they could turn up after they were sold, so haste was vital. All three of them had tried to convince the still recovering Robin to stay in the Ningenkai, but she insisted she come just in case they needed her help. Fine good you are doing now, my friend.  
  
"She's asleep, Kurama," Judy said to the fox with a smile. "Are you happy now?"  
  
"Yes," he said, then looked up at the darkening sky. "It's getting late anyway." He unrolled a futon in a slightly apart, shadowed spot, then picked up and moved the sleeping demon onto it, covering her with a sheet. She sighed gently and turned onto her side.  
  
After that, Kurama grew a tree, which Hiei quickly chopped up into firewood. It landed in a nice neat stack on the forest floor. He carried a few pieces over to a little pit Kurama made, then set them aflame with his youki. Soon a black fire was burning cheerfully in the middle of the camp.  
  
Hiei left to hunt for dinner, while Kurama grew some vegetables for them to eat. By the time Kurama and Judy had harvested some of the veggies, Hiei returned with some animal Kurama said tasted like beef when cooked. Judy chopped the veggies while Kurama prepared the animal. Soon they had a delicious-smelling stew bubbling in a pot Kurama made from another plant.  
  
Hiei was sitting next to the fire, cleaning his katana and keeping a watchful eye out for any intruders. Judy and Kurama walked over and sat down.  
  
"She must have been tired," Hiei said, gesturing behind him towards the demoness. "Should have stayed back in the Ningenkai."  
  
"I know," Kurama said with a smile, "But she's always been stubborn."  
  
"Always?" Judy asked, tilting her head.  
  
Kurama glanced at the demoness, "She used to be my partner."  
  
"Your partner?" Hiei said, blanching.  
  
Kurama laughed nervously, "H-hai, Hiei."  
  
"What's wrong with that?" Judy turned to Hiei. "I mean I'm sure you know he has had partners other than you. What's the big deal?"  
  
"Youko Kurama has had many partners, male and female, over the years, that I know," Hiei said, putting down his katana. "What bothers me is that..."  
  
"I... slept with every female partner I had," Kurama finished.  
  
"No way!" Judy shouted, jumping up. "You slept with Robin?" She started to laugh as Kurama colored to match his hair.  
  
"It isn't funny!" Kurama said, blushing furiously. He got up and walked over to the almost finished stew and stirred it, muttering something about an invasion of his privacy under his breath.  
  
"Ha ha..." Judy calmed down. Then a brilliant idea hit her. "Hey Kurama!"  
  
"What?" he said, getting ready to ladle the stew into some bowls for them.  
  
"Why don't you tell us the story of how you two met and stuff while we wait?" she grabbed two filled bowls from their place balancing on yet another plant and gave one to Hiei. She sat down with her own, "Come on!! Please?"  
  
"Alright, alright!" Kurama said, carrying a bowl over to where Robin was sleeping. "Just let me see if I can wake her up."  
  
"Want me to try?" Hiei said, glaring at Robin spitefully. "I guarantee I'll wake her up."  
  
"No Hiei," Kurama said, "I don't think she needs to be stabbed again." He turned back to the demoness and shook her gently, "Robin, wake up." When he got no reply he shook her harder, "Robin?"  
  
Robin shifted and let out a tired moan, her crimson eyes fluttering open reluctantly. "Huh?" She sat up and rubbed her eyes, "What happened?"  
  
"You fell asleep," Judy said brightly. "It's dinner time."  
  
"Oh," she blushed a little. "Sorry, I must have slowed you guys down."  
  
"Yeah, you did," Hiei snapped, almost growling.  
  
Robin glanced at him, "What's your problem?" She hissed when he growled at her again.  
  
"Hiei!" Kurama scolded, "Be nice." He turned to his old partner, handing her the bowl of stew. "I told him we used to be partners."  
  
"Oh," she said dismissively, then looked at Hiei. "Don't worry. I don't want your precious fox. Our fling is long done." She yawned and stared at the stew dispassionately.  
  
Judy looked at her friend with concern, "You okay?"  
  
"Hai," Robin said, putting the bowl down. "Just really tired." She smiled at her friend, "Don't worry 'bout me." She yawned again, and took a few bites.  
  
"So, fox," the calmed down Hiei said after he finished, "You were going to tell your story?"  
  
"Story?" Robin asked, turning her sleepy gaze towards the fox.  
  
"Of how we met," Kurama supplied.  
  
"Oh," she put aside her bowl and leaned her chin on a hand, "Not...interesting..."  
  
"I'm sure it is," Judy said, walking over to her tired friend. "Now go back to sleep." Robin gave her a look that seemed to say "you dare to tell me what to do?" Judy rolled her eyes, "You're exhausted and need to rest."  
  
"Nah," the demoness replied, waving her other hand dismissively. "Gotta make sure he gets it right..."  
  
"I will," Kurama said, offended, "I'm not that old that I'll forget that already."  
  
"I didn't say that," Robin snapped. "I just want to make sure you don't skip the good parts like you used to." She snickered, "But you are old."  
  
"Am not," Kurama retorted before starting his story, "Well, we first met about 500 years ago..."  
  
"Wait!?" Judy shouted, staring at her bedraggled friend, "500 years?" Robin nodded. "Just how old are you, Robin?"  
  
"769," Robin answered.  
  
"Holy shit!" Judy shouted, "You're old!"  
  
Robin sent her friend a cold stare.  
  
"Sorry! Sorry!" Judy said sheepishly, "I forgot demons live for, like, forever."  
  
Robin rolled her eyes before closing them, muttering something about Judy being lucky she liked her.  
  
"How old are you two?" Judy asked with head tilted.  
  
"801," Hiei answered, "Older than you, squirt."  
  
Robin opened one eye briefly and stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
"Kurama?"  
  
"1489," he said, "Now can I start the story?"  
  
Judy nodded, and sent her friend a mental message. You're right. He IS old.  
  
A tired chuckle echoed through her head as Robin replied, I told you.  
  
"Now then..." Kurama started again, oblivious to the mental joke.  
  
-Flashback-  
  
It was at a small tavern just outside of the ice realm. I decided to stop for a...relaxing night just after I ran a raid. Little did I know, it wouldn't be relaxing at all...  
  
Youko grinned as he stared at the various wenches floating around the tavern attached to the inn he was staying in this night. He had already visited all of the "tourist attractions" in this particular inn and was hoping for something new. Unfortunately, the inn hadn't acquired any new girls, and the silver fox was losing hope that he would get a good bedmate this night.  
  
Just then, he heard the creaky door of the tavern open and looked over to see who was coming in. A smile lit his handsome face as he watched the small, most definitely female form glide into the inn. His eyes followed her as she moved to the innkeeper and tossed a pouch of gold at him, telling him she wanted a room. The innkeeper nodded and handed her the keys to one of the rooms, telling her which number it was. She nodded and moved away, towards the tavern section of the inn.  
  
Her eyes, a startling shade of crimson, moved across the room, seeing the only available, empty table was next to his. He felt her gaze scan him briefly and moved his golden eyes to meet her red ones.  
  
She raised an eyebrow and moved to sit down at the table next to his. "Youko," the creature nodded slightly in greeting.  
  
"Ah," Youko said, flashing a smile, "I see you have heard of me, fair lady."  
  
--  
  
"Ha!" Hiei said, "'Fair lady.'" He snorted, "What a bunch of crap."  
  
Robin lifted her head and glared at him.  
  
"Hey," Kurama said, "Peace you two!"  
  
"Hn" came the reply from both.  
  
--  
  
The demoness shrugged lightly, "Who hasn't?"  
  
Youko chuckled, "Touché, Miss..."  
  
"Kiru," she replied, extending a hand.  
  
--  
  
"Oh yeah," Robin addressed Judy, "My real name is Kiru."  
  
"Why did you pick a new name?"  
  
"I didn't want rumors flying around," she grinned, "And I like the name Robin."  
  
"Well," Judy said, "You'll always be Robin to me."  
  
"Anyway..." Kurama said, a little annoyed.  
  
--  
  
The silver fox took it and kissed the top, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Kiru."  
  
She withdrew her hand from his, "Gallant, aren't we?"  
  
It continued like that for some time, and I ordered us drinks. I showed that I meant no harm and she accepted that fact. Eventually, she moved over to sit at my table, and that was when I thought it the right time to ask...  
  
The slap echoed throughout the inn and everyone looked to see Youko Kurama on the floor, a hand on his reddening cheek as a small, white-haired youkai stood above him.  
  
"How dare you!" she hissed, "You lecherous bastard!"  
  
"How dare you!" Youko roared, gaining his feet and staring down at the petit demoness. "You'll pay for this humiliation."  
  
"Che'" Kiru said, getting into a ready stance, "We'll see, Youko!"  
  
With that, the fight broke out. We ended up calling a tie and she left angry.  
  
--  
  
"WAIT A MINUTE!" Robin said, looking up. "You did it again!"  
  
"Did what?" Kurama looked around, avoiding her gaze sheepishly.  
  
"You know what I mean," she replied. "Tell the REAL story!"  
  
Kurama bowed his head, "Fine."  
  
--  
  
In truth, it was a little different. We fought, but she had the obvious advantage. About three minutes after the fight started, I was on the floor.  
  
Kiru smiled and sat on the battered fox's stomach, looking down at his face. "Learned your lesson?"  
  
"Yes, Kiru."  
  
"Not quite." She reached into his pocket and took out the bracelet he had just taken from his last raid. It was made of the finest Makai metal- black Makai gold- and studded with rubies and diamonds.  
  
She slipped the bracelet onto her wrist and leaned down to kiss him. She pulled back a while later and got off of the pleasantly dazed fox, sashaying up to her room.  
  
"Goodnight Youko."  
  
-End Flashback-  
  
"Ha ha!!" Judy laughed, "She sure got you!!"  
  
Hiei stared at the dozing demoness incredulously. "YOU beat Youko?" He was too shocked that she had beaten the fox to remember to be upset about the kiss.  
  
"Hai."  
  
Hiei scooted away from her, and Judy chuckled.  
  
"She couldn't do anything now, Hi-chan, even if she wanted to," Judy teased, then sweat-dropped when she received a glare from her friend. "Well, it's the truth!!"  
  
Robin scowled and raised her youki, "You SURE about that, my friend?" Her dark aura snapped around her violently.  
  
Judy scampered to hide behind Hiei, "Truce, truce!"  
  
The demoness sniffed and suppressed her youki. She looked at the fox and smothered a yawn, "Go on."  
  
Kurama shook his head, "I didn't see her again for another 200 years..."  
  
-Flashback-  
  
I was running a raid, and was getting into a little trouble.  
  
"Damn!" Youko cursed. He was surrounded on all sides. Great...I'm going to die in a raid... He saw the enemy closing in on him and felt his death nearing. He was fighting with everything he had but there were just too many defenders.  
  
Then he saw it out of the corner of his eye. He knew he had no time to dodge. He closed his eyes just as the flat of the blade hit the side of his head, sending him into a black haze of pain. He went crashing to the ground and became swallowed in a sea of black.  
  
I didn't expect to open my eyes at all after that, so you can imagine my surprise when I did and saw...  
  
"Kiru!" Youko sat up quickly, regretting the action as a splitting headache hit him.  
  
"Lay back down!" she scolded quietly. "Unless you want to have a headache all day long."  
  
He did so, lying back on something soft beneath him and looking around. The demons he had been fighting lie dead on the floor of the ruin. Several torches burned in once abandoned sconces on the wall and a larger fire burned not too far from him.  
  
He looked down at himself. His wounds were bound and he could smell several herbs packed inside the bandages. Then he started thinking, why had the demoness saved him?  
  
He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't see her approach with something in her hands. He was jerked back into reality as she placed the cloth-wrapped package to the side of his head.  
  
"Yipe!" he shouted, moving slightly.  
  
"Oh relax," Kiru responded, placing the ice against his head once more. "It'll help the pain."  
  
He nodded and reached up to take it. "Thank you."  
  
"It was nothing,' she said, and tossed another package to his side. He looked up at her questioningly, "It's half of the treasure from here."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You cleared out the entrance," she replied. "That deserved a reward."  
  
"Thank you." She must be insane. I wonder if she realizes most people would take the whole thing and leave me here for dead...  
  
"I know," she looked up. "But I'm not most people."  
  
"What?"  
  
Kiru tilted her head and pointed to her forehead. Youko looked to see a bandana tied around her brow. "I can read minds. Jagan."  
  
We talked a lot that night and she relented to my wish of becoming partners.  
  
-End Flashback-  
  
"And that's how we met, and became partners," Kurama finished.  
  
"Wow!" Judy said, excited. "That's cool! She totally kicked your ass and then saved your hide!"  
  
"Yes," Kurama said, "But I think we wound up even at the end..."  
  
"Even?" Hiei asked.  
  
"With life saving and ass kickings."  
  
"Ah..."  
  
"What about the sex!?" Judy asked.  
  
"Well," Kurama said, glancing nervously at Hiei, "I will always remember her because she claws."  
  
Hiei's eyes widened, "Ow."  
  
"Couldn't tell," the fox grinned, and leaned in to whisper to Hiei, "She was almost as good a lay as you, little flame."  
  
Hiei grinned, "Hmm..." He couldn't resist teasing his fox, "I'll have to see for myself one of these days."  
  
Kurama glared at him.  
  
"Just kidding fox."  
  
Hours filled with teasing and questions about the unexpected partnership passed before Judy decided it was bedtime. Judy, not wishing to leave her weakened friend's side, unrolled a futon next to her. Robin, still drained, fell right to sleep despite the repeated denials of her exhaustion. Judy grinned and set her bow next to her before joining her friend in sleep.  
  
Near the still-burning fire, a fox pulled his lover closer to him, reveling in the much-missed feeling of his demon in the circle of his arms. Hiei leaned back into him, a slow, satisfied smile resting on his lips. They stayed like that for hours, just enjoying each other's company.  
  
After awhile, they moved and stared into each other's eyes. Hiei made the first move, which was not normal, and kissed the taller man. Pleasantly surprised, the fox returned the kiss with gusto. Soon, they were in full make-out mode, hands groping and roaming each other's bodies. Some time later, they lay, sated, after making love for the first time in a very long time. Using Kurama's clothing to hide their nudity, they happily snuggled into each other's arms and fell asleep.  
  
While this was going on, Judy had a very... weird dream. A tall, silver- haired demon was kissing her, his hands moving reverently all over her body. She arched and let out a moan, and felt her legs wrap around the demon's slender hips.  
  
The much-taller man was thrusting into her so rough yet...it felt so good. Too good. She raked her nails down his back and arched her neck, moaning. When she orgasmed her arms fell limply beside her.  
  
As she reveled in the afterglow and tried to calm her breathing, her tall lover cradled her in his arms and held her close, planting soft kisses on her face every now and then. She nuzzled him, purring contentedly as they snuggled.  
  
"That was great...Kiru." 


	9. Chapter Nine: Back to the Mission

**Everyday Life?**

**Chapter Nine: Back to the Mission**

Hello, minna-sama. We would just like to...clear up a little confusion that occurred as a result of events in the last chapter. This story does NOT contain yuri. Okay...now that that's cleared up, we'd like to thank you for all of your reviews. We really appreciate them and they help us write more of what you want. Please enjoy chapter nine.

-The Next Day, Makai-

"You dreamt what?!" Robin's face flushed scarlet as Judy told her about the dream she had had last night with excruciating detail.

Hiei's mouth dropped as he and his fox overheard the description. Kurama's face soon matched his hair and his gaze met Robin's briefly. Both of them remembered that night, but how the hell did Judy dream it...?

"What...?" Judy asked upon seeing the fierce blushes staining her companions' faces. "It was just a dream."

Kurama laughed nervously and said, "Yah, just a dream! That's right!"

"Shut up!" Robin elbowed him in the ribs, silencing him with a wicked glare.

Slowly, realization dawned upon the other two members of the team. "It wasn't just a dream...was it?" Hiei asked, eyes widening significantly.

Robin sighed, "I suppose it's my turn..." She shifted uncomfortably, "That was most definitely not just a dream. I remember that night quite vividly."

Hiei blinked and Kurama watched as his lover slowly tensed up, his possessive side coming out. He quickly intervened. "But how in the three worlds did Judy dream of that night?"

"What night would this be anyway?" Judy grinned as she asked, a devilish light in her eyes.

Robin pulled her friend aside and whispered, "The first night."

Judy's eyes widened, "No way!"

"Hai."

"Cool!"

Robin sweat dropped, answering several rather personal questions to pacify her friend's rabid curiosity, and then the two returned to their teammates, who had been discussing what could have caused such an... odd event.

"That must be it," Kurama said just as the girls returned.

"What?" Robin asked, raising a brow.

"How much youki had you recovered by last night?" Hiei asked, then scanned her up and down. "And don't lie, I know you aren't even close to half recovered."

Robin glared at him when two worried gazed landed on her, then answered quietly, "A little more than a fourth of my top."

"I knew it," Hiei said, "It's the Jagan." Robin refused to meet his gaze. "You can't control it now, can you?"

"No," she answered gruffly, averting her eyes again, "So what?"

"Hey, where's this going?" Judy asked. "Is there a point to worrying me out of my mind?"

"Well, you're right to be worried," Hiei decided not to elaborate on that when he heard a very distinct threat of torture and pain pass through his mind, "But besides that, the vision you saw was the memories dragged out by the Jagan. Since she can't control the Jagan, it must have sent it out on its own."

"But why... would it do...'that'...?" Kurama asked, a little worried something like that would happen again.

Hiei shrugged, "Jagans are weird. They have a mind of their own to a certain point and can easily take control of their possessor if enough youki is lost."

Robin tried to glare at her Jagan, "Stupid third eye."

Judy laughed at her friend, then suddenly remembered what they were really in the Makai for. "Hey guys, aren't we on a mission?"

All three demons froze and said, "Oh shit!"

Kurama and Hiei hurried around and packed up. Judy pulled out the map and searched for a shortcut, or maybe even a portal to their destination. Robin was sitting on the ground, rummaging through a bag that usually hung on her hip, and then tinkered with something in her lap.

"Ready!" all four of them said at the same time.

"Let's go!" Judy said, then opened a portal, "How good am I? I found a portal that leads right to the town!"

"Great, now let's go!!" Robin said, pulling her friend to the portal.

"Okay, okay!"

The four hurried through the portal, emerging a few seconds later in the ratty town where the thieves had headed. Judy and Robin headed for the inn to talk to (a.k.a. seduce, flirt) the men bound to be there since they were the best at recon, while Hiei and Kurama started prowling the alleyways and back roads for clues.

After four or five hours of nothing, they rendezvoused in front of the inn.

"Nada."

"We didn't learn anything either," Robin kicked at the ground, then stifled a yawn. Judy and Kurama glared at her. She glared back, "I'm FINE!"

Kurama shook his head, then looked at the map. "There's an inn about five miles north from here. Maybe they're there."

"Worth a shot," Robin said and started for the north gate. "Let's get this over with."

After about ten minutes of walking, Judy stopped dead in her tracks, looking over to her right.

"What's up?" Hiei asked.

"I thought I felt something over there," she pointed to the woods on the side of the path.

"Like what?" Kurama asked.

"Youki," she closed her eyes and concentrated for a few seconds. "There's definitely something over there, in a clearing," she informed everyone.

"Worth a shot," Robin said, pushing Kurama towards the woods. "Make a path where Judy says to." Kurama raised a brow at her command, and Robin continued, "Make a path or I will personally ensure Hiei will become as familiar with the effects of my very favorite herb as you are."

That got him moving and he quickly parted the trees where Judy indicated.

"You sure you know where we're going?" Hiei said, keeping an eye on the demoness who had just threatened him.

"Yes."

"Hn."

"Look, Hiei," Robin interrupted, "When it comes to sensing youki, she's as good as any demon. Better than most, in fact."

Hiei was skeptical, until they reached the clearing that is. The thieves looked up in surprise from their card game, the expensive treasures stolen from Reikai sitting haphazardly in the grass.

The fight broke out, and they were surprised to find the thieves were very strong. Two S classes and an A class, as well as a mercenary force of several dozen B and C classes.

Hiei was holding off one of the S classes, flitting around it while inflicting cuts and burns. He sent it flying into a tree with a blast of black fire, and then sent his gaze around to monitor the battles going on around him. His gaze landed on the ningen first.

Judy started firing arrows into the mercenary force, double, triple, and quadruple loading her bow. She had been waiting for a chance to try her new techniques, taught to her by Hiei and Kurama during their stay in the Makai last week. Especially the once she had dubbed "Arrow Rain." She loaded her bow with five arrows, powering them up with spirit energy before letting them fly into the crowd. She took out a dozen with one attack. She laughed happily and repeated her new favorite technique. _Thanks, Kurama-chan!_

After toying with that for a while, she tried another, this time one taught to her by Hiei. She put a single arrow in her bow and charged it with energy, all of it concentrated on the tip, and aimed for the center of the group. This one, dubbed, "Bomb Blast" was fun to watch. She fired the arrow then watched as the arrow exploded on contact, sending lots of demons to their deaths. _Ha! This is so much fun!_

_Judy's fine._ He looked around for his fox.

Kurama concentrated on the A class demon, forming a strategy quickly as he dodged various attacks from it. It was using close range attacks, always keeping in an arms length of the graceful fox, so Kurama decided to go for a long range attack. He tricked the demon into a binding of ivy before sending a man-eating plant to devour it. He turned his attention to another group of mercenaries who charged out from the forest.

_Hmm...Kurama's ok. Now where's Robin...?_

Not seeing her, he moved to go look for the elusive demoness, but his own opponent sprung back into action and he was forced to fight it off. _Damn it!_

Unseen to Hiei, Robin was fighting the other S-class. The small demoness was kneeling, obviously winded. The demon was laughing at her as she panted lightly from exertion. She hissed, then quickly flipped out of the way when the demon charged at her.

After toying with something in that pouch on her hip, she turned serious. She waited for the demon fighting her to turn around, then grinned and taunted the demon, "What are you, a bull?" The demon charged again and she leapt back, letting a laugh escape when the large demon tripped over a small fissure in the ground.

"You think that's funny, wretch?!" the demon quickly got up and then sent a ball of ki flying in the air towards her.

"Crap!" Robin said, then scrambled out of the way. "Oh shit!" she was reduced to panicked dodging as the demon continued to fire ki-balls at her. She managed alright until she tripped over a tree root from one of the plant's Kurama was using to fight the masses of mercenaries.

"You're really in a hurry to see the infant, aren't you?" Hiei flitted over and grabbed her, jumping out of the way of another attack just in time. Hiei moved his teasing crimson eyes to meet Robin's shocked ones.

A blush stained her cheeks as she attempted to wiggle out of his arms. "Thanks," she grumbled, then shifted again, "Could you please put me down?"

"Heh, sure," Hiei laughed, then placed her feet on the ground. He then gestured towards the demon looking around for his prey, "Can I lend a hand?"

"If you must," Robin said, rolling her eyes.

With that the two of them proceeded to fight the demon. Hiei flitted around it, causing minor injuries, while Robin started sending fireballs and icicles at it. After their combined efforts had weakened it, she started using her shurikens, which had been in that pouch she was tinkering with earlier.

_Stop moving around, you stupid demon,_ Robin thought, _Stand still for two seconds! _She tossed another one and it embedded itself in the leather armor covering his chest, _Finally!_

"Hiei!" she called, gathering a ball of black fire into her hands. She gestured for him to back off, and Hiei took the hint and moved away. She sent the fireball at him, and the shuriken exploded, sending white powder all over the youkai, who cried out and fell to the ground. Hiei jumped back in and stuck his sword through the S-class' back.

"That's that," Hiei said, sheathing his sword after cleaning it on the dead demon's shirt. "Aren't you glad I took care of that for you?"

"Hiei, I'm quite sure I was just as responsible for the kill as you," Robin insisted.

"Yeah," Hiei teased, "uh huh."

"Hiei!"

They started to argue back and forth, totally ignoring the S-class Hiei had been fighting, who was now watching the two bad-tempered demons argue. Kurama and Judy finished off the mercenaries and joined the youkai in watching the fierce argument. Then, after about five minutes, the not-arguing parties realized they were still involved in a fight.

Judy and Kurama teamed up and took out the S-class, then started to locate the items. They returned to the scene of their friends' fight to find, surprisingly, Hiei gloating while Robin brooded on a tree stump.

"Hiei actually won a fight?" Judy asked, incredulous.

"Yup!" Hiei chirped, "Cool, huh?"

"I'll show you cool," Robin said then waved a hand in his direction, sending a spray of ice over him. "Baka youkai..." She turned her back on him and started to talk to Judy, clearly showing him **that** was the end of the argument.

Kurama shook his head and called Koenma on the communicator to tell him they had retrieved the items and would return them soon. Hiei, after melting the ice covering him with his fiery ki, inspected the items, making sure all of them were there. Then he bundled them up in a bag.

Meanwhile, back at the tree stump, Judy and Robin played cards with the thieves' deck.

"Poker?" Judy asked, shuffling the deck.

"Sure," she said, then added thoughtfully, "Five-card-draw please."

"Of course," Judy dealt them each out five cards. "So," she asked, "Just what is your favorite herb, huh?" She discarded three cards.

"Heh," Robin replied, "Nosy. It's hemlock." She looked at her hand, then discarded two cards, "Two please."

"Hemlock?" Judy handed her two cards, then took three of her own. "What does that do?"

"Really wanna know?" She tossed away one card, "Two pair. Eights, aces."

"Che'," Judy threw her hand in, "Ace high. I swear you cheat somehow..." She reshuffled the deck and dealt out another hand, "And yes, I would love to know." She grinned, "Must be useful if you like it so much."

"Impotency," she said calmly, looking at her hand.

Judy dropped the cards, "NO!"

"Hai," Robin chuckled quietly.

"You're so evil," Judy said with a bit of awe in her voice.

"Heh...I know."

By the time they had returned the items to Koenma in the Reikai, it was nightfall. The four made their way back to the Ningenkai. After the girls hugged goodbye, and the boys had a goodnight kiss, they parted. Judy and Kurama left for Judy's, and Kiru...Robin and Hiei headed for Robin's ningen home.

On the way home, the red-head was interrogated by the ningen on several meaningless things. Then, as he expected, Judy started asking what she really wanted to know...

"Soo," Judy asked with a grin, "You were...hee hee...more than partners with Robin, ne?"

Kurama rubbed his temples, "Yes, and you know that well enough."

"Why did you two stop being partners?" she was really curious about that. If she had a choice, Judy would never stop being partners with her best friend.

"Ahh...that's complicated," the kitsune rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ooohh..." Judy said thoughtfully, "I guess it was your fault...I'll have to ask Robin what happened..."

"Listen," Kurama interjected, "Kiru and I had a long run and-"

"How long?"

Kurama sighed, "About 40 years."

"Wow," she knew from a discussion with Hiei earlier that week that the average partnership lasted a mere 15 years, "you must have really liked her."

"Yes," the fox resisted the urge to strangle his ningen companion, "But-"

"Oh, I know!!" Judy's eyes lit up, "You still like her, don't you?!" Judy stifled a giggle; she loved playing the devil's advocate.

"No," Kurama's face flushed, "I-"

Judy ran ahead, "I'm telling Hiei!!!" She laughed, looking back to see the fox following close behind.

"Hey, wait!!!" he blanched and hurried after her, "You've got it all wrong!!! WAIT!!!"

Meanwhile, Hiei and Robin were walking down the dark streets near her house in silence, stealing glances at one another.

Hiei caught her looking at him with a soft crimson gaze, "What?"

She averted her eyes, "Nothing." _What's wrong with me...staring like that..._

Hiei raised an eyebrow, spotting the pink coloring her cheeks, "Right." They walked in silence for a few seconds, then Hiei asked, "What's the deal between you and Kurama anyway?" Hiei was seeing her in a different light- now she was a bit of a threat to his love life.

"There isn't a deal anymore," Robin told him, meeting his gaze, "We were together for a while, and then we parted ways. That's all. No more." She stopped and looked up at the crescent moon, "It's over." She tilted her head to the side to look at him and smiled, "Don't worry, I didn't want him like you do then, nor do I now."

"Hn," Hiei nodded, "Good." They continued walking, and Hiei stole a glance at her while she studied the star-studded sky. _I suppose...I can...trust her. _ A small smile lit his face and they finished the walk home in a comfortable silence.


	10. Chapter Ten: Shocking News

**Everyday Life?**

**Chapter 10: Shocking News**

-Two Weeks Later, Ningenkai, New Jersey-

Hiei grinned as he slipped out of the window, landing in the backyard of Robin's condo. He looked back into the house, checking to make sure the demoness was still asleep and wouldn't come after him and lecture him on the importance of being around in case if any S-classes slipped through the almost-useless Kekkai over New Jersey.

He had poured a small vial of colorless, supposedly tasteless liquid Kurama had given him into her afternoon tea before he carried it over to the table. His fox had told him it would put her to sleep for at least eight hours- he had upped the dose to enough to take out an S-class full-blooded youko. Hiei had held his breath as she slowly drained the cup, praying she wouldn't notice the concoction.

Shortly after she had finished her cup, she had fallen asleep at the table. Hiei, sighing with relief, carried her over to her bed, took off her glasses, and covered her with a blanket before leaving. He'd have to ask Kurama for more of that stuff later...

The fire demon opened a portal and headed for the Makai.

-Michigan-

Kurama walked out into the living room to find Judy reading a book on the couch. She looked up when he called her name.

"What do you want?" she marked her place with a bookmark.

"Oh nothing," he smiled, "Just wanted to see how you were."

"I'm fine thanks," Judy was suspicious. He definitely wanted something...but what...? "And you- how are you?"

"I'm fine," Kurama asked, "What are you going to do today?"

"I dunno," she thought for a minute, "I guess I'll go do the shopping. And I'll probably call Robin if you want to talk to Hiei."

"Ah ha...funny you should mention Hiei," he stammered, wringing his hands. "I...I'm uh..."

"Going to see Hiei?" the ningen asked, grinning- she could never resist an opportunity to tease the fox. "I don't have a problem with it, but you'd better have a good excuse- you know Robin doesn't let him go without one."

Kurama couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up, "I think we'll be okay."

Judy raised an eyebrow, "What did you do?"

Kurama avoided her gaze and said, "I didn't do anything."

Worried, Judy grabbed the cordless from its place on the table, pressing the speed-dial button for Robin. The demoness always picked up on the second ring. The phone rang once, twice, three times before going to the answering machine. After hearing her standard message- Robin set up a different one when she went to Makai- Judy hung up, turning to face the fox. She narrowed her eyes when he put on the "I'm innocent" look. "Kurama..."

"Don't worry, don't worry," he presented her with a dazzling smile, "I promise that she'll wake up." He grinned and ran out the door before she could ask what he had done.

"Kurama, you skunk!" she yelled out the window as she watched him open a portal. "I'll get you when you get back!!!"

-Makai-

Two men kissed, falling to the ground as desire rose to unbearable heights. Clothes ripped and were tossed away in rags. Naked and sweating, they moaned their need in the music of love. Their bodies tangled as they moved faster and faster, passion rising till it crested in climax. They floated down together, lying, too tired to move, in a bundle of arms and legs.

An eternity later, Kurama nuzzled his lover gently. "Hiei, ai shiteru." He snuggled closer as he felt sleep setting in.

"I love you too, fox," Hiei kissed his fox's nose, pulling him closer, "Ai shiteru zutto."

The lovers fell asleep, still entwined in each other's arms.

-A Week Later-

Judy woke up to the sounds of someone that was sick. Concerned, she got up, gasping when she found the retches came from a pale Kurama. Pulling him up gently, she led him to bed, running to fetch the thermometer. Ignoring his attempts to speak, Judy popped the thermometer into his mouth and waited. She was stunned when she pulled it out and found his temperature was normal.

"I forgot...heat...and we...with kit..." he murmured unintelligibly before passing out.

Not understanding a word he said, Judy went online, hoping to catch her best friend. After an hour or two of solitaire, bingo and various other games, Robin finally logged on. The image from her live webcam came up, and Judy greeted her.

"What's up, Judy?" Robin asked, pushing a burgundy-black ringlet out of her face, "You look worried."

"It's Kurama, he-" before Judy could say another word, she was spun out of her computer chair. She heard a protest from Robin and looked into the computer to see Hiei pushing her off of her chair, coming to talk to his fox.

Judy watched as the kitsune and the fire demon exchanged greetings and the usual. She wondered what was so important that the usually very polite Kurama would just push her aside.

"What is it fox?" Hiei asked, sensing something was off. He was acting funny...

"Hi-chan, last time we...I was..." Kurama took a deep breath, "I'm pregnant!"

Kurama's confession was just too much for Judy, who fainted from the shock. Robin gasped, then a smile lit her face as she congratulated the parents-to-be.

Hiei froze, his mouth dropping open just a little. Kurama smiled, rubbing his tummy. He started to talk about names and the like, but stopped when Hiei didn't react at all for about three minutes.

"Hiei?" Kurama asked the demon.

"Hello?" Robin poked him, "Anybody in there?" Not getting a reaction, she pinched his arm.

Hiei started, finally reacting. He blinked, and a huge smile slowly stretched across his face. Robin backed up a bit, concerned. Hiei let out a joyful whoop, grabbing the demoness and spinning her around, overjoyed at this unexpected turn of events.

"I'm gonna be a DADDY!!" he shouted, still dancing around with Robin.

"That's great, Hiei," Robin squawked, "Now would you put me down?!"

-Ten minutes later-

Judy awoke with a groan. Her muddled brain tried to sort out what was going on as she looked around the room. Sitting at the computer was Kurama, biting his thumb in an attempt to stifle his laughter. She looked into the computer to see Hiei dancing around with a struggling Robin as he repeated, "I'm gonna be a Daddy!!" over and over again.

"Wait a minute...a Daddy?" Judy suddenly remembered Kurama's news. "Hey, fox!"

"Hmm?" the fox turned, his eyes dancing with laughter, "What is it?"

"Congrats!" _I'll have to ask Robin how the hell a boy gets pregnant later..._

"Thank you," he said with a smile, turning back to the computer.

Hiei had finally let Robin go. She looked dizzy as she sat holding her head on the bed. Eventually she lifted her head to glare at the chattering lovers. Her gaze met Judy's in the background of the image on the screen and she shook her head. She reached for a piece of paper and wrote, "What have we gotten ourselves into?"

Judy mimicked the idea and wrote, "Diapers."


	11. Chapter Eleven: Necessary Compromise

**Everyday Life?**

**Chapter 11: Necessary Compromise**

-One Month Later-

"Robin!" Judy called frantically, drawing her best friend's attention from her fight with an invading demon, "Something's wrong with Kurama!"

"What?" Robin jumped out of the way of an attack, landing on one knee a few feet away. "What happened!" she asked as she sent the youkai reeling with a blast of fire.

"I don't know," Judy answered, "He just started clutching his stomach!"

The demoness cursed, standing and following Judy inside. She called for Hiei to finish off the lingering youkai quickly. She rushed into the fox's room, where Kurama clutched his stomach, obviously in pain.

Kneeling next to him, she placed a hand on his forehead. The fox had a slight fever. She frowned, "Kurama, where exactly does it hurt?" Fairly certain she knew what was wrong with the fox, Robin needed to know a few things to be sure.

The fox opened pain-darkened eyes, staring at her helplessly, "Low in my stomach. Is something wrong with my baby!"

"Shh," she brushed his hair out of his face, "I'll take care of you and your kit." Calling on her knowledge of this particular ailment, she asked a question that would determine whether she was right or wrong. "Kurama, any bleeding?"

He shook his head, but his eyes were now wild with panic, "What's wrong with my kit?"

Relieved she was correct; Robin smiled and asked Judy to bring her the box of herbs in her bag. "You'll be fine, I promise."

Shuffling through her box once Judy gave it to her, the demoness pulled out a velvet pouch. She reached inside and took out a single seed. Concentrating, she forced it to grow into a small sprout with a small chunk of youki. Robin pulled off a leaf and gave it to Kurama. "Take this, now." _Think, think…what's a good cover-up!_

Willing to do anything to take care of his baby, he nodded and quickly consumed the bitter leaf. Almost immediately, the pain faded away. Sitting up quickly, Kurama stared at the demoness as she settled the sprout into a small terra cotta pot. "What is it?"

"Thanlyx," she said, settling the pot on a windowsill, "You are to take one leaf everyday at ten in the morning for the entirety of your pregnancy." She sat down on the bed next to him, "If you don't you will not carry to term. It's a disease that happens in crossbreeding sometimes. But you and your kit will be fine if you listen to me. " _Yes…that's good enough to pacify him until I can speak with Koenma._

Kurama's eyes filled with fear, but he nodded, "I will." He looked around, overwhelmed by the need to be with his lover, "Where's Hiei?"

They turned when they heard the door crashing open, and a deep baritone calling out, "KURAMA!"

Smiling, Kurama got to his feet and headed out to see his lover, pausing for a moment to look at Robin before exiting. "I am in your debt."

-Later That Night-

Judy closed the communicator after filling the infant ruler of the Reikai in on the situation with Kurama. She looked around; the apartment was silent. Hiei and Kurama were in Kurama's room, and it was too quiet for them to be doing anything but sleeping. Judy had no clue where Robin was, though. Shrugging it off, she decided to take a shower before heading off to bed.

Twenty minutes later, Judy headed for the kitchen for a glass of water before heading to bed. She heard the distinct click of a communicator closing as she sipped on the glass. Curious, she headed to the source of the sound. She stopped short in the darkened hallway when she saw Robin in her demon form placing the communicator back on the table. Judy's mouth dropped open when she turned, revealing long, furry fox ears graced with black tufts of fur at the end.

The ningen covered her mouth with her hands and ducked into the bathroom when her friend's gaze snapped to the dark hallway.

Looking into the hall, Robin narrowed her eyes. _Who in kami's name is awake? _"Who's there?"

"Ahaha…" Judy stepped into view, holding up her hands in a gesture of peace, "Don't attack me, okay?"

"Judy?" the demoness asked, "What are you doing awake at this hour?"

"I should ask the same," the ningen retorted, "Why are you awake, AND in demon form none the less?"

"I don't need a reason to be in demon form," Robin replied defensively, then sat down on the couch. She crossed her arms and closed her eyes.

"Fine, but why are you awake?" Judy came to sit beside her. "It's late…"

"I know…"

"And more importantly…" the ningen grinned and batted at the black tufts of fur on her best friend's suddenly vulpine ears, "What's up with the ears?"

The demoness jerked her ear out of the way of Judy's hand and growled playfully, "Back off. This is my true demon form, and in it I'm a whole hell of a lot stronger than I am in human form."

"Truce…truce…" Judy's grin faded into a soft smile. "Seriously…why are you awake? With all the battles you've had recently, I would think you would want to sleep as much as you can." Her gaze lingered briefly on the demoness' trim waist, where she knew a wicked scar marred the pale perfection that once existed there, "And after that incident in New York…I don't want you taking any unnecessary chances."

"I'm fine, really," she gave a fanged grin. "I'm a demon remember? I don't need as much sleep as you. And concerning the possibility of another 'incident'…" she looked out the window at the starry sky, "maybe the time for me to die is near…"

"What!" the ningen gasped, "No!" She bolted up, "Don't you even dare think like that!"

"Why not?" The demoness replied, "All I've done is rule territory and obtain a small fortune. I don't have any kids, and I'm probably too old to find a mate… Most of my family is dead, and those who live are far removed from my life. I'm not really needed for anything. So if it winds up that my life is needed to save someone else's…someone who is needed…then so be it…"

Judy stared, speechless at her friend as she got up and walked towards the door. She felt like a truck had collided with her. Never… never had she had any idea that her seemingly confident friend harbored insecurities so…terrible that they would cause her to consider her life invaluable.

"But… but… what about Hiei and Kurama!" Judy shouted. "They don't have mates, and they are much older than you are!"

Robin turned to face Judy again, "It's different for males…" She smiled, "Don't worry about me okay? I'm alright. It's going to take a whole hell of a lot to kill me."

"Remember…you aren't allowed to die without permission from me. Got it?"

"Hey," the demoness grinned, "I did survive getting a sword thrust through me…I think I can put up with a few measly S-classes after that." She chuckled and opened the door, "See ya…I'm going to go for a walk in the park."

"What if someone spots you looking like that?"

"Oh…don't worry about it. I'm going to be in the trees."

"Alright," Judy smiled and waved, "Be safe. I'll see you in the morning." She headed down the hallway to her room, happy to finally be getting to bed after a tiring day.

Robin nodded, "Ja mata." She waited for the sound of Judy's door closing then bowed her head. "I'll see you…when I get back…"

**-**Reikai, Midnight**-**

Koenma looked up, meeting the serious gaze of his visitor. He had been expecting this particular visitor, and had prepared by changing into his teenage form.

"I know what you're going to say," the ruler stated, putting his stamp aside. "Please sit down."

Robin sat across from Koenma, "Then you know what I'm going to ask for." She too was prepared for a meeting of this magnitude, gracing Koenma by wearing her true demon form. "You know as well as I do that Kurama's 'infliction' isn't as simple as I pretended it was…"

"I know," he said, "but do you understand what closing the Makai would mean?"

"Yes," the demoness looked away, "All travel to and from the demon world would be halted. No one would be able to infiltrate the Ningenkai. Any events happening in the Makai would be confined…and would have to be controlled from the inside."

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Koenma asked.

"Yes," she answered, her ears drooping momentarily before perking back up, "I want them to be safe."

"Very well," Koenma nodded, "You have 12 hours before the gate closes…Kiru." The godling put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly when she tensed, "I'll call them in the morning, and you can tell them."

She looked away, "I'll be gone by then…tell them yourself." She got up and walked out of the room, her cape fluttering behind her.

-Reikai, the Next Day, Noon-

Hiei, Judy and Kurama walked into Koenma's office, sitting down in the chairs across from his desk.

Judy wrung her hands, staring at the empty seat next to her. She had been worried when her best friend hadn't returned after their conversation last night. But when Koenma had called for them, she figured Robin would meet up with them there.

Kurama and Hiei mentally discussed what Koenma could possibly want with them that wouldn't include Robin. And where said demoness could be for that matter.

_I don't know fox,_ Hiei was puzzled, _this room positively reeks of her ki signature, but not her youki. _

_I know what you mean, _Kurama looked over towards the door where the infant ruler was just walking in, _I guess we'll find out when Koenma tells us, ne?_

"Thank you all for coming at such short notice," Koenma said, sitting in his chair.

"Cut the bull," Hiei cut in, "What's going on?"

"The Makai is closed to all travel."

"What?" Kurama bolted up, "How can that be?"

Koenma sighed, "It was a necessity."

"But what happens if there's a revolt in the Makai or…" Judy paused in her rant, the pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicking in her mind. "Robin…is in the Makai, isn't she?"

"Yes," Koenma nodded, "She is."

"How could you close off travel while she was still in there?" Hiei slammed his palms down on the table. He growled, "How the hell is she going to get back, huh!"

"She wanted to go…" Kurama said quietly, head bowed. "I had a feeling it wasn't that simple." His hand moved to rest on his stomach.

"What are you talking about fox?" Hiei asked, worry for both his mate and his friend clouding his mind.

"She volunteered to act as the control in the Makai for the period where it will be closed," Koenma told the fuming fire demon. "She recognized that Kurama had been stung by a wasp from the Makai…and the poison was interfering in the already unbalanced chemicals his system. That plant she gave Kurama is the only thing keeping your mate and your kit alive, Hiei."

Hiei stared, stunned at the infant ruler. He cursed quietly and sat down in his chair. "She's putting her life on the line…damn it…"

"Who's to say that I'm doing something that foolish, huh?"

Hiei bolted up and turned around, staring at the TV screen. Robin, in demon form, was displayed, an amused smirk on her face. She smiled at him gently, her eyes softening, "I'm quite capable of defending myself…"

"Robin…" Kurama said quietly.

She closed her eyes. "Kiru, Kurama. My name is Kiru."

He nodded, "I'm sorry…Kiru…"

"For what?" she looked at all three of them. "I made this choice on my own. I wanted you all to be safe. Our forces were down, and I'm the only real candidate for relocation." She looked at Hiei and Kurama, "You two have to look out for each other and make sure that little one grows up right. And you," she turned her gaze to Judy, "would be missed by your family. I have no such restrictions. I know what I am getting myself into."

"But what am I supposed to do without my BFF?" Judy asked, holding back tears.

"You'll survive," she grinned. "Hell, I have to survive the Makai on my own, I think you can survive the Ningenkai."

Judy giggled, "Alright…Stay safe. Remember, I haven't given you permission to die."

"Got it."

"Excuse me," Koenma said, "If you guys are done, I have work to do."

"Yeah yeah…" Kiru said, "You guys had better get back."

Reluctantly, the now three member team left the room one by one, each saying a personal goodbye to their friend in the big screen.

Hiei was the last to go. His gaze was uncharacteristically tender as he ran his gaze over every inch of the demoness he had come to respect. His eyes stopped on her face, and his intense crimson eyes stared into hers.

"You had better come back alive," he almost growled at her. "No way in hell am I going to find another sparring partner as good as you."

She smiled and nodded, "Yes, Hiei-sama."

"I…I'll miss you."

"Me too…I'll see you later Hiei…"

"Yeah, later…" he stared at the screen even after it went back, deeply absorbed in his thoughts until Judy called out for him. He started and shook his head before hurrying out to join the rest of his team.

Koenma, who had watched this whole exchange silently, raised an eyebrow. Could it be there was more going on between the two tacit warriors of his American tantei than he had originally suspected was possible…?

As soon as the team got back to Judy's apartment, they all sat down to try and relax and unwind from the traumatizing events of the day.

Kurama was feeling hungry so, in true pregnant-craving nature, he went into the kitchen and ate some pickles and peanut butter. He chewed on the chewy concoction and thought about the demoness, trying to think of someway to repay her for everything she was sacrificing for him.

Hiei perched in a tree near the apartment, watching out for any lingering Makai bees while morbidly dreaming up and dreading every possible thing that could go wrong while Kiru was in the Makai alone. Growling he cleaned his katana, while thinking, in vain, of ways he could get to the Makai to help…

Judy turned on the TV and curled up with a blanket on the couch. She perched a picture of her and her best friend on the table. After the New York incident, Kurama had taken a picture of the two of them just outside his territory. The demoness was sitting elegantly on a giant mushroom, her cape fluttering out behind her in the wind as she looked out over the scenery. Judy stood beside the mushroom, grinning up at her friend.

Sighing, she turned to stare out the window into space. She hoped that her BFF would be alright. Like Hiei, she was thinking of all the risks of being alone in the Makai, especially when you have enemies from both your past and your line of work. The knowledge that Robin…Kiru was a strong demon helped a lot, but Judy was still very worried.

Judy was submersed so deep in her thoughts, she didn't hear Kurama call that dinner was ready. She jerked into awareness when Hiei poked her.

"Oi, dinner is ready."

"Oh," Judy thumbed the remote, turning off the TV. "Thanks I'll be there in a second."

She picked up the picture and carried it into her room before joining the boys in the kitchen for a silent dinner.

Later that night, Judy went to bed, feeling very unnerved by everything going on. She wanted only the best for all her friends, but it seemed that someone always had to sacrifice something. In an uncharacteristic gesture, she knelt beside the bed and prayed that everything would work out. She climbed into her comfy bed, and, after tossing and turning for awhile, fell into a light sleep, dreaming of happier times that would hopefully come in the future…


	12. Chapter Twelve: Matters of the Heart

**Everyday Life?**

**Chapter Twelve: Matters of the Heart**

The first rays of sunlight streamed in through the window to illuminate the master bedroom. Snuggled together on the king-sized bed were the fox and the fire demon.

As the light fell on the kitsune, he moved a bit, and pulled Hiei closer against him. Kurama nuzzled the jaganshi's pine-scented hair, not yet willing to awaken. Comforted by Hiei's warm presence, the fox sighed happily, slowly falling back into a deep sleep.

Hiei though, was not in such a blissful state. Although he usually slept well while in the embrace of his beloved fox, he had only been able to catch a few restless hours of sleep this night. Every time he closed his eyes, he was haunted of visions of his partner. Sometimes it would be her smiling at him or laughing with him about some benign joke; but more often it would be flashbacks to New York. Her pallid complexion, blood quickly staining her shirt, her unconscious form in his arms...

He squeezed his eyes shut, pushing back the dread rising in his heart. He was as close as he could recall coming to terrified that Robin...or more accurately Kiru, would be hurt again in the Makai- this time with no one to help her. And with that terror came another realization he wasn't sure he could admit-to himself or to anyone else.

He was falling for Kiru.

He felt almost as if he was cheating on Kurama. Although that would never ever happen- he loved Kurama with all his heart and soul. His fun and oh-so-tricky fox was his life...wasn't he?

Besides...demon bonds run far deeper than idiotic ningen bonds...No. He would never betray his fox...

In the next room over, Judy lie awake in her bed. After a short-lived, super-light catnap, she had awoken and found herself too worried to fall asleep. Her discarded bedding was tangled around her ankles and spilling onto the floor as she channel surfed- in vain- for something boring enough to put her to sleep.

It seemed almost useless...Judy was certain that very little would help settle her fears. She felt almost useless. Kiru...no, Robin was all alone in the Makai. God forbid something were to happen...no one was there to help. Sighing, she settled on one of the classic morning shows- Maury.

If daytime television wouldn't help her, nothing would.

Kurama on the other hand, slept peacefully, totally unaware of the thoughts of his firefly. Blissfully ignorant that something could rock his seemingly-stable world to its very core, the fox dreamed of a happy future..

Several hours passed in this droll. Judy worried while staring at the latest "You Are NOT The Father!" and "JERRY! JERRY! JERRY!" drivel. Hiei lie in his sleeping fox's embrace, torn over his burgeoning feelings for the mysterious Kiru.

Sometime after noon, Judy reluctantly rose; moving into the kitchen to prepare breakfast...lunch for everyone. She opened the refrigerator and saw a bowl of freshly cut Makai fruits, carefully wrapped in plastic. Her mind flashed back to the previous morning, before the demon's attacked them, when she and Robin had joked around while the demoness cleaned and sliced the strangely shaped fruits.

She grabbed some eggs, milk, cheese and butter from the refrigerator before carefully closing the door. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to know that her BFF was okay...safe...

As she whisked together the eggs and milk for some thin cheese crepes, Judy realized that Robin was probably just fine...and happy. After all, she was back in her true world... Although the Makai frightened and took Judy by surprise time and time again, she knew that Robin loved her world. Why she loved it so, the ningen could not comprehend...with all those smells...and corpses...and danger...

She hoped Robin remembered that she wasn't allowed to die...

Makai-

Perched high atop a gigantic tree, Kiru leaned against the massive trunk, a small smile curving her lips as she thought about her dark-haired partner. After a few seconds of fantasizing about him though, she shook her head and blushed darkly. Who was she to dream of him...?

She drew her knees to her chest and stared out across the empty plains. So far it had been quiet other than a few mild skirmishes with lower class demons outraged over the halt of the passage to and from the Makai, and she had far too much time to think about everything that had happened recently between herself and the fire demon. Her hand rose to her waist, resting where the scar was. Ever since that day...she and Hiei had grown closer. Probably too close.

After all...he had a mate. True, they were not bonded...but they loved each other. Getting close to Hiei made her feel so...happy though... She felt at home with him...safe...loved...

At the last thought, her eyes widened, and time seemed to stop...

_C-could it be that I...that I... love him?_


	13. Chapter Thirteen: How to Deal?

**Everyday Life?**

**Chapter Thirteen: How to Deal?**

Dawn was one of the few times when the clouded sky of the Makai deserts could actually be called beautiful. Soft, muted shades of pastel blue and purple slowly brightened, blazing the clouds with vibrant reds and oranges until the sun rose high enough to beat down hotly on the land; scorching anyone stupid enough to go out without protection in the middle of this barren desert.

But now...it was nice...calm...tranquil. Just the opposite of the rampant chaos of her mind. Kiru hugged her knees to her chest. She knew that once the all too short dawn bled into the morning, she would have to set off once more on her self-appointed, never-ending patrol. Thinking on it, she realized that she should probably start going now. After the morning hours had passed, even a full-blooded fire demon wouldn't last long in the unbearable heat of this particular desert, let alone a mixed-breed like herself...

Or Hiei.

Kiru closed her eyes with a sigh. She couldn't stop thinking of her flame-haired demon partner. During the night, she had come to accept that she had foolishly fallen in love with the half-Koorime. It was foolish indeed...he was already happily mated with Youko. Even if he was in his soft-spoken human form, she knew she was not nearly good enough to vie with the fox for Hiei's attentions.

_I'm getting ahead of myself..._ Kiru chuckled to herself. There would never be any reason to vie with the far superior kitsune- for Hiei would never love her. Sometimes she thought that he could barely stand her presence. If she couldn't even win his friendship, winning his heart was a veritable impossibility. _I should just give it up and try to forget how I feel for him..._

But no matter how she tried, nor how much she scolded herself for it, the only times he left her tortured thoughts was when she was embroiled in fights. _Fights..._

With that, she jumped down from her perch high in one of the only trees surviving in the deserted wasteland. Catching her bearings quickly, she headed south, where she knew a heavily wooded mountain side was. The area was so remote, it was considered a favorite area for the shadier demons of the realm.

Maybe, just maybe, she could drown out her thoughts for at least a little while today...

Humming as she filled the green watering can, Judy tried to remember which of the dozens of plants had to be watered today... Thankfully, to help her to remember which, she had color coordinated the pots to the number of days a week it had to be watered.

"Today..." she said to herself as she walked over to the windowsill where a dozen or so plants were resting in the sunlight, "I water the green, red and blue ones..." Making that mental note, she began the twenty-minute long watering routine, continuing to hum until she reached the door to Kurama's room.

She always watered the plants in Kurama's room last. Especially lately. If she went in too early, she risked disturbing him and Hiei. And there was nothing worse than a cranky Hiei. _How the hell does Robin put up with him...? At least he's still out getting the paper..._

Knocking gently, she slowly opened the door. "Kurama, can I water the plants?"

Kurama was lying in bed, reading a large tome on some plants that Kiru had left for him in the living room, "Sure."

She walked over to the plants, and talked to Kurama about some inane things as she watered them. Distracted as she was, she didn't notice that the water can was making the small mandarin orange tree tip a little. The tilting made the excess water spill over the edge of the pot and onto the floor...

Laughing, Judy turned to the last plant, a small black Makai rose bush, pushing the mandarin tree's pot just enough to send it crashing to the ground. The pot broke in half, and wet soil scattered all over the hardwood flooring.

"Oh damn it!" Judy cursed, "What a mess!"

Chuckling, Kurama got up and headed towards the kitchen, "I'll get some napkins..."

"Damn plant falling...making a mess of my clean floors..." Judy grabbed a brush and a pan from the hall closet to collect the dirt. Storming back into the bedroom, she walked towards the spilt soil. She was too distracted to notice the puddle of water next to the spill, and the next time her foot hit the ground, it was accompanied by the back of her head.

"Ahh!" she screamed as she slipped.

Hiei, who had just walked in with the paper, heard her yelp. Curious he peeked into the fox's room to see her lying there on the floor, with a big pile of dirt beside her. Shaking his head he turned around, heading back to the living room to watch TV.

"Judy, are you alright?" The fox's soft tones stopped him cold in his tracks. He glanced back into the room to see Kurama helping the ningen girl up from the ground, his voice concerned as he looked her over for any injuries. He brushed off the dirt that had gotten onto her clothes and stepped back a bit.

Growling, Hiei stomped into the room and grabbed the fox, dragging him out of the room and into the hallway. What if his fox was having the same funny feelings about Judy that he was having about Kiru? What if...what if the fox loved that stupid ningen more than him!

He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't lose the one person that mattered most. Pulling Kurama close, he captured the fox's lips in an intense kiss, as if to seal his thoughts with a promise of love.

Yet even as he swore to himself that he would never lose the fox to a ningen, he had a feeling that he was losing the race for his heart...

Kurama's POV-

Surprised, but not at all averse to the sudden display of affection from his lover, Kurama wondered if the kit was making Hiei act strangely. Hiei had never been one to...coddle his lovers. He considered it a sign of weakness to be coddled for some reason, and he was too proud to be mated to someone who wasn't at an almost equal playing field with him.

He thought about Judy, who was probably confused about the fire demon's sudden behavior. He hoped she was okay, for he had been unable to finish looking her over for any injuries..._Her head must be killing her..._

Breaking the kiss, Kurama stared down at his little lover. Catching Hiei's gaze, he saw a strange light in them that he had never seen before, but it was cleverly masked behind one of Hiei's trademark icy walls. _He must be worried...that has to be it..._ His green eyes steeling with determination, he tried to reason with the stubborn youkai.

"Hiei...you do not have to worry," the fox said softly, "I am fine...and so is the kit." He petted Hiei's silky soft hair gently, "I am being very careful...trust me, koi."

Hiei's POV-

"Trust me like I trust you, Hiei..." Kurama said with a soft smile, "I know you would never hurt me..."

Guilt filled his heart and ate at his soul at Kurama's words. The kitsune walked off back into the room, probably to finish tending to Judy. He called to them that he was going out to make a security check.

Blurring outside, he quickly retreated to a nearby park. Jumping into a high tree that would shield him from the eyes of anyone who happened to pass by, Hiei buried his head in his hands.

Hiei had not hurt his fox...not yet at least. But if Kurama knew...the fragile fox would be crushed.

He did not want to hurt Kurama...but he knew that he could not- nor did he really want to- ignore his growing affection for Kiru forever.

_What do I do now...? _


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Only So Much

**Everyday Life?**

**Chapter Fourteen: Only So Much...**

After shooing Kurama away with assurances that she was fine, Judy brushed at the remaining dirt on her pants. Sighing, she carefully stepped around the puddle of water-half of which was now soaked up in her shirt- and cleaned up the dirt on the floor. Looking at the poor plant, she wondered if she had another blue pot lying around somewhere to re-pot the tree.

_I wonder what was up with Hiei?_ Judy thought as she debated over what to change into, considering her current clothes were ruined until the next laundry trip. Now that she thought about it...it was almost like he was jealous or something...

Pulling on a shirt, she couldn't help but chuckle a bit. Hiei jealous of her? Ha! Not likely when he had everything a person could ever want.

She didn't really care anymore though. Now that she had actually lived with him, Judy saw Kurama as nothing but a good friend. There was no longer any romantic attraction to him. He was...just someone nice to talk to. Almost like the big brother she never had, but always wanted.

Redressed in clean, dry clothes, Judy searched through the utility closet for the extra pots she usually kept around, thinking about all the things the fox had taught her. Cooking...sewing...he even taught her some more Japanese. Not that she could really understand what Robin, Hiei and Kurama were talking about most of the time, but still... Kurama had taught her a lot. _Yeah...he really is just like a big brother..._

Carrying the last blue pot from the closet to Kurama's room, she started the long process of repotting one of the fox's precious plants. She sighed gently. _I know she can't be in two places at once...but...I wish Robin was here to help me with this..._

Meanwhile, in the Makai-

Kiru skittered behind a tree, carefully observing the scene before her. The sharp smell of blood had attracted her to the clearing. An acrid smoke filled the normally-crisp air, probably the remnants of a flash bomb. Edging carefully to the side, she tried to see what was going on.

A small child, a little cat demon was cowering in a small ball. Kiru could see a few cuts on her arms and face. She looked around to see a large male feline demon lying unconscious on the ground. He was wounded, but none of the injuries appeared too serious. He also bore a striking resemblance in coloring to the smaller demon. _Family members, perhaps? Most likely father and daughter..._

Another demon, an unusually large rat demon was laughing over the unconscious form of the male cat demon. It appeared to be a small scale war between the predictably opposing forces of a rat tribe and a cat tribe. Normally, she would not take the time to deal with such a small problem, but...

Her eyes landed on the little girl once again. She could not let this little one die...not when she could save her... Quickly assessing the strength of her next opponent, Kiru readied a shuriken with an appropriate amount of ki, and poised herself to strike.

_There is only so much I can do...but this child...I will not allow this innocent to die..._


	15. Chapter Fifteen: A Broken Promise?

**Everyday Life?**

**Chapter Fifteen: A Broken Promise?**

Ningenkai, later that day-

Most people do not spend their days wondering if your lover is cheating on you...

Most people simply live in blissful happiness with their so-called soul mates, never wondering about infidelity...

Most people do not cling to their lovers like a shadow, hoping to catch their lover in a moment of sin...

But Hiei was not like most people.

The petit fire demon would not leave his fox alone with the ningen, Judy. Not anymore. The only times he left Kurama's side was when he absolutely had to; and when he was sure the girl would not come anywhere near him. He shadowed his fox's every move. One would think Hiei was just worrying about his mate, but that was far from the truth.

He was trying his hardest to catch his fox in an act of disloyalty.

Yet no matter how carefully he observed, all he saw was close kinship between the two. Kurama would occasionally place chaste kisses on Judy's forehead, but that was as close as the physical contact got. The two joked around amiably as they cooperated to set up what his fox called a "nursery."

Wanting nothing to do with all of the soft pastel colors and blasphemous "teamwork," Hiei decided to watch them from outside. It was a warm day, so Judy had opened the window to let the cool breeze float in. Fortunately for Hiei, a large tree just happened to have a heavily-foliaged branch close enough to the window for him to be able to watch and listen to everything that went on in the...nursery. _Yes...this will do..._

"Fox," Hiei called as Kurama fluffed a tiny green pillow, "Gotta make a security check."

"Okay, koi," Kurama kissed his cheek gently, "Be careful."

"Hn."

With that, Hiei left. Masking his ki, he blurred up into the tree. This was perfect. They knew he was out, and would be out for a long time. They had the perfect opportunity to kiss, fondle, and otherwise prove that Hiei wasn't the only one getting funny feelings about someone other than his lover.

So there he sat for the next hour, hearing nor seeing anything incriminating...that is until the nursery was almost done...

"Judy...I can't remember feeling this excited," Kurama reached out to hug the ningen girl, "You are just like a little sister to me, and I am so grateful that we got to meet."

_Little...sister...?_ His fox's words echoed in Hiei's mind. Kurama did not have any romantic thoughts of Judy...just feelings like the ones he felt for his own sister. The half-Koorime closed his eyes. This had to be a farce... Thoughts of Kiru still swirled in his mind...and Kurama just **had** to have the same kinds of thoughts and feelings about Judy...

Meanwhile, in the Makai-

Kiru narrowed her eyes. The rat was advancing on the child now, but in such a way that would make it impossible for her to ambush him. And while she wasn't afraid of attacking it head on, she didn't want to unless it became absolutely necessary. She stared at the scabbard hanging at his waist. _Damn it, why do you have to have a quick-draw sword? Come on...turn your back on me you bastard..._

She hear the little one sobbing softly, and praying. The "father" of the little one hadn't moved very much, but Kiru could sense his ki recovering. He would probably rouse in a few minutes, but definitely not fast enough to save his child from the rat youkai. Speaking of which, said rat was now within ten feet of the little one and had summoned a large ball of ki into his hands. And finally, **finally**, he turned his back to Kiru.

_Yes!_ Taking the moment, Kiru jumped out from behind the tree, and threw the ki-powered shuriken at the rat. "Oi! Rat-face, come and pick on someone your own size!"

At her words, the youkai swung around, its eyes widening when the shuriken exploded in his face. He cursed before falling to the ground, momentarily stunned by the nerve agent in her special shuriken, giving Kiru a chance to check on the cat demons.

She knelt beside the little one, "Child, are you alright?"

The chibi-cat looked up at her with wide indigo eyes, "W-who are you?"

Kiru smiled, "That is not important right now." She turned to the older male youkai and gave him a shot of icy ki to awaken him.

The male rose slowly and looked around. Spotting Kiru near his offspring, he growled lightly. "Who are you?"

"It is not important right now," Kiru repeated and looked over to the rat, who was rising from the ground with a vicious snarl. She picked up the small child and handed her to the male. "Take your child somewhere safe. I will take care of the rat."

Not waiting for the father's answer, she swung around to engage the rat. Summoning two deadly-sharp blades of ice into her hands, she met the onslaught of the rat's sword blow by blow.

The cat demon watched, entranced by the dance of death the two fighters before him were so expertly performing. The female with white hair used her twin blades to counter the fast moves of the fast-draw techniques from the rat. Eventually, the rat demon began to tire, his moves becoming sloppy.

The demoness grinned, and jumped back. In an instant, it seemed the battle was over. Moving almost faster than the eye could catch, she was surrounded by a haze of black flames. The ice became consumed by black flames, but amazingly remained solid. With a flick of her wrists, the flaming icicles flew out of her hands to land in the chest of the rat.

The rat slumped to the ground with a moan. Kiru stood nearby, looking coldly at the now-burning corpse. She cast her eyes over to where the cat demons were standing, and a perturbed frown marred her brow. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, the shrill shriek of an arrow cutting through the air rang out in her ears.

She turned her head to find it- there. Coming fast through the trees was an arrow. And it was heading straight for the little girl in her father's arms. _No! _

The father must have seen it to, for he hugged the child tightly to his chest, and turned so the arrow would hit him instead.

That arrow was going fast enough that it would likely kill whoever it hit on impact. Kiru knew what it was like to grow up after watching a loved one die right in front of you, and she could not...would not let this poor child experience it.

Time was precious and there was no room for mistakes, Kiru knew that there were no incantations she could call up to stop the arrow. There was only one thing she could do now to save the family from the arrow..

The cat demon held his daughter close. He did not really want her to witness his death, but he really had little choice. He was not fast enough to avoid the arrow, nor did he have any special talents to call up to block it. It came down to a choice between losing his daughter to the arrow, or letting it take his life...

He hugged her closer and closed his eyes. _I am sorry you have to see this, Hiko-chan..._

The seconds passed...and the shrill cry of the arrow stopped. Yet no impact ever came. Opening his eyes, he searched the trees behind him for the arrow. Seeing nothing, he decided something behind them must have stopped it. _But what...?_

He put down his daughter, not willing to risk her safety during his search. "Hiko-chan, go hide for a little while, okay?"

Hiko leaned to the side to look behind him, "Look, Daddy! It's that lady again!"

The father turned, and saw the white haired demoness standing before them, her cape fluttering slightly in the breeze. His eyes widened._ No! She could not have..._

He walked forward and touched her shoulder, "Milady?"

"I told you to run away," she said simply, her voice soft and breathy. Her eyes closed, "You should have listened..." With a soft sigh she swayed and started to fall.

"Milady!" the cat demon cried, reaching out to catch her.

She didn't feel the cat catch her as she fell into the sticky depths of unconsciousness. Before she gave in to the comfort offered by oblivion, she remembered the last thing that Hiei had said to her the day she went to the Makai...

Flashback-

Reluctantly, the now three member team left the room one by one, each saying a personal goodbye to their friend in the big screen.

Hiei was the last to go. His gaze was uncharacteristically tender as he ran his gaze over every inch of the demoness he had come to respect. His eyes stopped on her face, and his intense crimson eyes stared into hers.

"You had better come back alive," he almost growled at her. "No way in hell am I going to find another sparring partner as good as you."

She smiled and nodded, "Yes, Hiei-sama."

End Flashback-

_I'm sorry Hiei...I think I might have...broken my promise..._


End file.
